


Clarity

by LilacMoon83



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: 7x15 AU, Adventure, Charming Believer - Freeform, Daddy Charming, Drama, F/M, Family, Romance, Snowing - Freeform, Snowing AU, mama Snow, snow believer, snowxcharming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:00:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 33,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25944748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilacMoon83/pseuds/LilacMoon83
Summary: 7:15 AM AU - Things go differently in the cabin during 1x10. David & Mary Margaret regain their memories in the cabin. They are Snow and Charming again, but Storybrooke is still cursed. How will this change the course of events? Can they get Emma to believe and reunite their family? Can they stop Regina? Can they be together in a town that says their union is forbidden? Snowing AU
Relationships: Baelfire | Neal Cassidy & Henry Mills, Henry Mills & Emma Swan, Henry Mills & Prince Charming | David Nolan, Henry Mills & Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, Henry Mills & Snow White | Mary Margaret Blanchard, Prince Charming | David Nolan & Emma Swan, Prince Charming | David Nolan/Snow White | Mary Margaret Blanchard, Snow White | Mary Margaret Blanchard & Emma Swan
Comments: 21
Kudos: 42





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Clarity

She looked at his profile in the darkness and tried to ignore the fluttering in her heart. She had never wanted anyone the way she wanted him or at least she couldn't remember ever feeling this way about a man. But he was married. He wasn't hers or at least, that's what her head kept telling her. Her heart was another story. Her heart was practically screaming at her that he belonged to her. But that was wrong. Wasn't it?

He spared a glance at her in the darkness and was long past ignoring what he felt in his heart. He had ignored his heart on the night he got his memories of Kathryn back. He had done the supposed right thing and gone home to his wife. It was a huge mistake. He didn't love and wasn't in love with Kathryn, because he was head over heels in love with Mary Margaret.

Gently, he took her hand and she pulled away.

"David...we can't. It's too painful," she protested.

"I made a mistake," he admitted.

"No, you made a choice," she corrected.

"It was the wrong choice," he said.

"Doesn't matter...you're married and we have to stop seeing each other. I...I have to stop coming to Granny's," she replied.

"Stop coming to Granny's?" he asked.

"Yes...you don't really think I go there every morning for coffee, do you?" she questioned and he chuckled.

"You think that's funny?" she asked in offense.

"Well, I'm not going there for the coffee either," he replied. She blanched.

"I go there at seven-fifteen every morning to see you," he admitted. She sighed and closed her eyes. As she was about to tell him that they had to stop this, a very loud and bright flash of lightning. That sent her into his arms and then she quickly pushed him away.

"Mary Margaret…" he started to say.

"No David...we can't do this. I have to get out of here," she said, knowing that if she stayed, she'd end up back in his arms and be content to never leave them.

"You can't go out there yet...it's too dangerous," he pleaded, but she ignored him and opened the door. She stepped out into the rain and started walking.

"Mary Margaret!" he cried, as he ran after her against the wind.

"It's too dangerous!" he called, as she kept pushing through and he saw a loose branch heading right for her. Everything that happened next happened in slow motion.

"MARY MARGARET!" he screamed, as she was hit in the head with the branch and she went down.

"No…" he cried, as he rushed to her and lifted her into his arms, before carrying her back to the cabin. He managed to get the door closed and started a fire, before taking a look at her head. It was a superficial cut, but it looked as though she had a pretty good bump on her head. She moaned in pain and he tried to rouse her by holding her face in his hands.

"Mary Margaret…" he pleaded for her to wake. She opened her bleary eyes and looked up at him, as images flashed through her mind. The last time she had seen him, cradling their newborn daughter, as he ran with her toward the wardrobe. Her gutwrenching cries came next, before she had managed to pull herself to her feet and follow, only to find him on the nursery floor in a pool of his own blood.

She had held him in her arms, as Regina glared down at her with a smug smirk of victory...and then nothing. Nothing until Emma drove into town in her yellow bug. Emma! She remembered just days ago bringing her friend's baby blanket to her nose and inhaling the scent. She hadn't understood what possessed her to go such a strange thing until now. And David...David! Her husband...noth Kathryn's. Hers...stolen by the curse. Charming...her Charming.

"Charming…" she whimpered and then her eyes widened in realization, as she shot up.

"Easy…" he warned, as she stared at him in awe.

"Mary Margaret...are you okay?" he asked and her heart sank. She remembered everything now. The bump on the head had done it and she was Snow again. But he was still just David and very much married to Kathryn. Unless…

She surprised him suddenly by grabbing his face and kissing him passionately. His eyes widened, as their lips met and his memories...their memories played in his head like a movie. Her true love for him cut through his curse and awakened the man buried inside him. The real David...her Charming. Their lips parted and he stared at her in awe, as they panted for air together.

"Snow…" he uttered finally and tears of joy began to stream down her cheeks.

"Charming…" she cried, as their lips crashed together again when she grabbed his collar and pulled him into another kiss.

"Oh Snow...I'm so sorry I made such a mess of everything," he apologized when their lips finally parted again. She sniffed.

"It's not your fault...it's the curse," she replied, thinking about her own mess. She deeply regretted the one night stand she had with Whale. She had been so upset that she had sought comfort in someone that she knew was just looking for another conquest and didn't respect her.

"I messed up too...but I don't want to talk about it now," she confessed. He nodded and would do what he always did. He would wait with loving patience until she was ready. For now, he was just grateful to be holding her in his arms again.

"Emma…" he realized, as he went through everything he had experienced since waking up. She pulled back and smiled up at him.

"Emma…" she agreed, with a watery smile.

"Oh Charming...she's had such a hard life and it's my fault…" Snow fretted.

"No...we had no choice, Snow. We had to put her through the wardrobe to save her life," Charming reminded. She sniffed and he gently brushed her tears away with his thumb.

"But I sent her away. I told you to take her and put her through it and into this world...all alone. She was all alone...and she thinks her parents just dumped her in the woods, because they didn't care!" Snow cried in anguish. He gently put his hands on her arms.

"I know, but that's not your fault. Regina...she did this. She's the reason for all of this," he said.

"She cursed us...because of me," Snow said and he sighed, as he held her close.

"You must stop blaming yourself for her evil, my darling. There is no excuse to do what she has done and we gave her many opportunities to be better. She didn't take them," he reasoned.

"What do we do now?" she asked.

"Well...first I do what I should have done...what I was going to do before I got these fake memories. I tell Kathryn the truth," he replied.

"The truth?" Snow asked.

"Well...not the real truth that she's actually Abigail. But the truth that I don't love and whoever married her wasn't me. She already feels it I think. Damn Regina…" he cursed.

"Charming...it's not your fault. Regina was going to do whatever she had to in order to keep us apart," Snow reminded him. He sighed.

"Well, no more of that. I'm going to be with you now, just to piss her off," he grumbled, as he put his hands on his hips. She smiled at that. Charming was definitely back. Cursed David would have never taken such a confident stance.

"Just to piss her off?" she asked playfully, as he turned back to her and took her in his arms.

"Never just that...I love you and only you," he promised, as he kissed her passionately and lightning flashed around them, but they didn't notice, because they were far too lost in each other.

"We...we'll be very unpopular in town if we do this," she warned.

"I don't care...do you?" he asked. She shook her head.

"Mary Margaret would have...she would have been heartbroken at the idea of everyone hating her, even though everyone in town barely ever talked to her anyway. All my friends...barely acknowledge me and only do, because I'm non-threatening," she said, mulling over her cursed life.

"They're not themselves...so we won't be able to count on them. If you think we should keep it a secret...we can try. But I can't be without you now…" he confessed. She shook her head.

"I can't be without you either and Mary Margaret may have cared about her image. But you know I couldn't give a damn. I need you…" she confessed in return. He smiled and caressed her cheek.

"Then there's Emma...and she hates my guts," he deadpanned.

"She's just wary of you hurting me," she said.

"I already did," he said, hating himself for it.

"It wasn't you…" she soothed.

"Regina knew that you were the one way to truly hurt me and so she did," she said.

"I'm sorry," he apologized again.

"Charming...that wasn't us and I don't want to let what happened that night come between us. We're stronger than that," she said. He smiled.

"You're right," he agreed.

"I got very drunk that night and made a terrible mistake too," she confessed.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I had a one night stand...with Whale," she answered.

"WHALE?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yes, but it was horrible and I was thinking of you the whole time...and I had to fake it just to get it over with," she lamented, as she saw the shock on his face. He sighed.

"That's my fault too...you wouldn't have felt the need to seek comfort in someone else if I hadn't hurt you so badly," he said, feeling guilty again.

"How about we just agree that this is really all Regina's fault and move past it?" she suggested. He smiled.

"I like that idea," he agreed, as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Did you really...have to fake it?" he muttered. She smiled slyly.

"For a guy that boasts to be such a lady's man...you think he'd be better at it," she told him and he smirked.

"So...you didn't actually…" he murmured and she kissed him gently.

"Nope...only you've done that for me," she purred, as she kissed him again, this time with more heat.

"Only you make me see stars and fall apart," she promised, as she looked out the window at the raging storm.

"So...what now?" he asked.

"We help our daughter find a way to break this curse...we make her believe, which will not be easy," she replied, as he slipped his arms around her waist.

"No...but we'll do it together," he said, as he kissed her hair.

"But for tonight...we're stuck here," she said. He smirked.

"How terrible," he replied, as he stoked the fire and soon had it going to a full roar.

"We...we should get out of these wet clothes," she mentioned and he smiled at her.

Reading my mind?" he teased.

"Don't I always?" she countered, as she started unbuttoning his shirt. His lips descended upon hers and she felt herself melting into him, her body thrilling at his touch.

"Twenty-eight years is too long…" she breathed, as their lips parted and he chuckled.

"It is...but what's twenty-eight years when you have eternal love like us?" he asked, as her lips crashed against his again and she slid her arms around his neck. He lifted her up and carried her toward the fire, where they had what blankets they had found laid out before it. He managed to gently lay her down on the blankets and she sat up, lifting her arms for him so he could pull her blouse off. He tossed it away and kissed her again, as he lowered her to the floor. She looked up at him through desire lidded eyes and smoothed her hands along his muscled chest and torso.

"Too damn long…" she breathed. He smirked.

"Guess that just means that I have a lot of time to make up for," he said, as their lips crashed together again and their love and passion burned as bright as the fire before them.

Lightning flashing in bright bursts, as the remainder of their clothing was pulled away with urgency.

Snow lost herself in his kiss and ran her fingers through his hair, as he kissed her deeply. Her eyes fluttered open slightly, as their lips parted and his descended down her throat. She bit her bottom lip to hold back a moan, as his hands rested on her sides. She took that opportunity to boldly and bluntly cop a feel on him, earning her a throaty moan from him and allowing her to feel how highly aroused he already was. He lifted his head to gaze at her with smolder that nearly made her knees give out.

"Really? You want to play that game?" he teased. She smirked and bit her bottom lip again

"Mmm...maybe I do, Charming," she teased back and gasped, as he cupped one of her breasts. She shuddered, as his hand rolled the sensitive flesh and his thumb flicked over her hardened nipple. She tackled his lips again with her own, as they made out intensely and hands went everywhere, feeling and touching intimately. It may have been twenty-eight years since they had made love, but for them, it was like no time had passed at all. They fell back insync with each other like nothing had changed, though almost everything had. They moved together with confidence in a way only Snow and Charming could with each other. They knew each other's bodies better than their own, so gasps and cries of pleasure filled the room, as they engaged in their erotic game; a game they had often played and resumed it without a hitch.

The last of his clothing was tossed away and she took the opportunity to touch him there, putting her small hand around his hard shaft and cupping his balls.

"Snow…" he cried, as he undid the clasp on her bra. It too fell away, along with her panties and he gazed at her indulgently.

"You are so beautiful…" he breathed passionately, as she pressed herself against him, her breasts brushing against his chest and his erection against her stomach. He leaned down and kissed her hungrily then, his tongue thrusting into her mouth. Snow moaned into his kiss and felt fire in her core.

"Charming...I want you…" she pleaded, as she writhed against him and relished being pinned beneath his hard body.

"I need you…" she added.

"I need you, Snow...I need you so badly," he rasped in a husky tone that made her weak all over

"Take me…" she begged, as he gazed at her, his eyes glowing with love and lust. She looked up at him with much the same, as her breasts rose and fell with her rapid breathing.

"My Snow...my beautiful Snow…" he uttered, as he splayed her legs wide, exposing her glistening pussy to him. He slid his hand sensually along one shapely leg, as he lifted it and rested the ankle on his shoulder. He started there with his lips, slowly kissing his way down her leg and to her thigh.

"Charming...please!" she cried out, as she bucked her hips. She needed him inside her and she needed it now. After what they had been through, it was no wonder that she clung to him for dear life and wanted the physical reassurance only he could provide. Never one to deny her anything, he pushed inside her and stilled for a moment, allowing them both to feel their joining. She was so tight and warm around him that it was mind blowing, though it always was. It was a feeling he would never tire of and was pretty sure he'd die inside without. And so very wet...so beautifully slick that it bolstered him to know that he did that to her; that she only ever wanted him.

For Snow, feeling him glide inside her brought her unspeakable pleasure. She wrapped her legs around him, trying to bring him as close as possible with nothing but skin between them. Their eyes locked then, as he held her in his smoldering gaze, silently promising her everything she needed. He punctuated this by lacing his fingers with hers and then showed his possessiveness by pinning her arms above her head, thrilling her. Then he began to move inside her, thrilling her even more and sending her into the throes of passion that only he could unleash upon her. His cock surged into her tight heat and she quaked around him.

"Charming..." she whimpered and then bit her lip to keep a moan back.

"Mine...you're mine, Snow...eternally," he told her. She was beside herself, as she writhed and arched against him, as he ravished her.

"Mmm...do you promise?" she mewled. He answered by kissing her deeply and moving his lips over hers, licking into her to punctuate his promise. When he finally released her lips, he started on another promise and she gasped when his teeth raked along her neck. She mewled and thrashed, as she neared her climax and sucked on his favorite spot on her neck. He frequently left a mark there and she wore that mark with pride always. And never one to be outdone, Snow lightly bit on his neck too, creating her own mark of possession.

"Will you come for me, my beautiful Snow?" he asked in a husky tone.

"Mmm yes...yes..." she cried, as he drove his quivering, considerable length into her sweet spot with every thrust.

"You are so beautiful..." he rasped, as he suckled at her breasts, even as they bobbed with the force of his thrusting. He pumped deeply into her, as his lips worshiped her trembling body. He relished her screaming his name, as she finally let go and he rode her harder, as she spasmed from a powerful orgasm. With a few more sharp thrusts, he let out a strangled cry and erupted inside her in his own powerful climax, before collapsing into her arms.

They were so thoroughly entwined beneath the blankets that it would have been impossible to tell where one body began and the other ended; just the way they liked it. He pillowed her against his chest and she relished being in his arms, as the cabin glowed with the fire before them. They were together again and awake, but they knew it wouldn't be easy for what was ahead. But they could now face a cursed Storybrooke and the task of getting their daughter back...together.


	2. Reality

Chapter 2: Reality

Snow slowly opened her eyes and looked around the cabin. She gasped, as it all came rushing back to her and she covered her unclothed body with the blanket.

Was it real? Did they really remember? Had all of that just happened last night?

As if sensing her thoughts, he opened his eyes and experienced a similar rush of memories.

"Snow?" he whispered and a smile eclipsed her face.

"We still remember…" she said, as they hugged and their lips met again, but she pulled away.

"The storm is over...people are probably looking for us," she realized.

"Yeah...back to reality…" he said sadly.

"David…" she started to say, but he shook his head.

"I'm leaving her, Snow...I know it will be messy, but I can't pretend to be with her. I can't now...I need you," he insisted. She smiled.

"I need you too...it's just going to be a mess," she lamented.

"If you'd rather I just leave and stay away...I'll do it. I'll hate it...but I'll do it for you. Then people will just hate me for leaving Kathryn, but I'd rather they not hate you too," he said. But she shook her head.

"No...we're going to do this together," she insisted, as she kissed him again.

"I spent twenty-eight years without you and I'm not spending one more day that way. I don't care if the whole town hates us," she said. He sighed.

"They're going to...our own daughter is going to hate me too," he reminded her. But she shook her head.

"Not for long, I promise. She's going to see the man you are...the man I love," she promised.

"I hope so, because she's already seen David Nolan and she doesn't like him. Now she's going to see the David Nolan that leaves his "wife" and shacks up with her best friend," he lamented. But she kissed his cheek.

"I promise it won't last long...she'll understand eventually when she knows the truth," Snow said, but he knew that was wishful thinking on her part. There was a very real chance that Emma could end up hating them both.

"There is one person that won't hate you though...besides me," she mentioned.

"Really?" he asked playfully.

"Henry…" she replied, as she looked in his eyes.

"Henry…" he said, as his eyes widened and she nodded.

"Oh my God...we're grandparents," he realized, making her laugh.

"And our grandson is being raised by the Evil Queen," she added, a little sourly.

"Do you think Regina knows?" he asked and she shrugged.

"I don't know," she replied thoughtfully and he sighed.

"I guess we better go get this ugly part over with then," he muttered, but it was early and she wasn't ready to go anywhere just yet.

"Mmm...not yet," she said, as she gathered the blankets around her body and straddled his lap. He swallowed thickly and stared at her with awe and love.

"They can wait a little longer...I've been waiting twenty-eight years to be held by you again...and I need you more," she insisted. He smirked and he gave her a smoldering gaze that made her shiver. Shy, unassuming Mary Margaret Blanchard was definitely gone and so was confused, uncertain David Nolan. In some ways, navigating a cursed Storybrooke as Snow and Charming would be more difficult than they were probably ready for, but they were not sad to see their cursed personas go.

"You have me, my darling. Nothing is ever separating us again. I know it's going to be hard, but we're going to beat her...Regina. We're going to get everything we lost back," he promised.

"I told her...the night she cast the curse, when I was holding you in my arms and never knowing if I'd see you open your eyes again," she said, as she choked back a sob.

"I told her she was going to lose...but I wasn't sure I believed it myself. Until now," she confessed, as she sniffed. He smiled at her and pulled her closer so she was flush against him.

"Believe it, my darling...because I'll not let her separate us again," he promised, as their lips crashed together again and she moaned into his kiss, as he sank into her once again.

She gently rocked against him in his lap and he gripped her hips to help her ride him. Their breathing was ragged and impassioned, as they made love again. As he thrust deeply into her again and again, he kissed her neck and she lost herself in him, as she raked her nails along his back.

"Charming…" she whimpered, as she neared her climax again. Gods...no one could make her feel the things she was feeling like he could.

"So beautiful…" he rasped, as he thrust hard into her and she cried out for him.

"Snow…" he cried, as they both came together and their lips met again, as they rode their orgasms together too, before finally collapsing to the floor in a tangled heap of limbs.

"Oh Gods...I'm going to kill the Queen for taking you away…" Snow managed to say and he smirked, as he kissed her hair.

"Well...we're about to get a lot of hate thrown our way, so at least we have this," he said. She kissed his neck and cuddled against him.

"With you though...I feel like I can face anything. Even this," she said. He smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Me too," he agreed.

~*~

Once the storm cleared, reality set in and they were forced to return to town to face these new days as themselves, which they knew would be more difficult than when they were cursed and didn't know the truth.

Emma had twenty questions for her, especially when she learned that she had been stranded alone in a cabin with David Nolan. Snow wanted to break down in sobs and tell her daughter how sorry she was for the hard life she had been forced to live, because of the curse. She was Emma's friend now, but she knew that dynamic might change when her daughter learned the truth.

Despite Emma's questioning, things were fairly quiet, but she knew that was about to change when she opened her door to find her husband there with a red hand mark on his face. She whimpered and pulled him inside by the arm. He couldn't help it and sought comfort in her. Not that she could or would ever resist and she felt a little of the stress ebb away, as he took her in his arms and kissed her passionately. As their lips parted, they pressed their foreheads together and allowed themselves just a few quiet seconds to drink each other in.

"I take it that she did not take it well," she stated. He shook his head.

"I told her that it was a mistake for us to stay together and that we were just going through the motions. She actually agreed with that part...until she asked if this also had something to do with you, or Mary Margaret rather," he said. She swallowed thickly. He shrugged.

"I told her the truth...I told her that I was in love with you. I...I couldn't lie about that," he said, as he gently caressed her face.

"No...it's better you didn't, especially since she obviously already suspected," she replied, as he hugged her and scoffed.

"Well...it's not like I'm good at hiding my feelings for you," he said, as he pulled back.

"But I think this is going to be bad. We're going to get a lot of hate thrown our way and I'm worried that people will take it out on you in Kathryn's behalf," he lamented.

"I know...this is going to be really hard, harder than we thought, but being without even longer than I already have...would be harder," she said.

"Yeah...I got a room at Granny's for now and I'm sure news that we're getting a divorce is all over town by now, so I better go," he replied, but she caught his hand.

"Emma is working the night shift...not yet…" she said.

"I need you," she whimpered and with that, he almost tackled her with a kiss, while gently lifting her off the floor. She was sure people had seen him go into her building and when he didn't come out for hours, that would only fuel the fire, but she didn't give a damn at the moment.

He carried her to the bed behind the curtain and kissed her deeply, as they started undressing each other. Their lips parted briefly so she could frantically undo the buttons on his shirt. Once it was off, she peeled his undershirt off him completely, as he kissed her again with his hands gripping her hips. He pushed her cardigan off her shoulders and whipped her around so he could unzip her dress. He parted the fabric and his skillful hands pushed it to the floor, making it a puddle at her feet. She thrilled, as he kissed her bare shoulder and his hands cupped her breasts. She moaned, as she felt his arousal pressing against her rear.

"Charming…" she cried in a breathy whisper. He turned her again and captured her lips in another smoldering kiss, as he backed her toward the bed. She fell to the bed and made quick work of his belt, as her nimble fingers unbuttoned his jeans. She unzipped them and shoved them down his long legs. He kicked them again and climbed onto the bed with her. She moaned, as he kissed her throat and then at the tops of her breasts, as he snapped the clasp on her bra.

"So beautiful…" he rasped, as he buried his face in her chest and she showed him that Snow had banished shy Mary Margaret to the back of her mind by reversing their positions and straddling his waist.

She put her small hand around his length and watched him nearly come apart under her desire-lidded eyes. How she had managed to forget him was still a mystery to her, but perhaps that was a blessing, for having her memories and living without him for twenty-eight years would have been a far greater curse. Or punishment, as Regina saw it. That made her wonder how much Regina even understood about her curse. Of course, then Regina knew if she had her memories, nothing would have stopped her from waking Charming much earlier and then trying to escape town to find Emma. So perhaps she understood it all too well. She had been perfectly malleable and un-threatening as Mary Margaret Blanchard, fifth grade school teacher.

Being awake though in a town that still didn't remember anything would be challenging. They were about to become the town pariahs. They were about to be called terrible names and be the gossip on everyone's lips. Regina wouldn't stand for this defiance. She'd used public opinion to destroy them; Snow knew her well enough to know that.

She had tried such when Snow was just a girl. She had tried to put the pressure of fixing the problem that some villagers were having with bandits robbing them blind on her young shoulders. In the beginning, she had looked like just another inept, young royal that had no clue as to how to run a Kingdom. But she had risen above Regina's challenge and fixed the problem, all while learning to wield her future weapon of choice.

Now, she would do the same, but this wouldn't be the traditional type of battle that they had faced before. It was not going to be easy, but moments like this, being with him like this, would make it all worth it.

"Snow…" he breathed, as she sank onto him, taking him inside her body and she paused for a moment, just to let the feeling of their joining and then she slowly began rocking on him. He propped himself up on his elbows, so he could kiss her, while she rode him. Snow felt her climax building in her core, as she drove him into her body, again and again. Her body thrilled, as he killed her throat and her breasts, while gripping her hips and helping move along his cock.

"Charming…" she cried, as she came and he held her through it, coming with her shortly after. They collapsed together to the bed and lay there, foreheads pressed together, as they came down.

"I don't you to go...I don't ever want you to go," she whimpered. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and then her lips tenderly.

"I don't want to either...and I'll stay as long as I can," he promised.

"No...stay forever. I'll explain it to Emma," she pleaded.

"I'd love that, but Emma's not ready to trust me. I can't and I won't come between the two of you," he insisted. Her heart sank, but she knew he was right. Alienating their daughter was the last thing she wanted to do. She couldn't have them both right now, at least not in the way she wanted. This was going to be harder than she thought.

"We still have some time," she said softly. He smiled and kissed her again.

"Yes, we do," he agreed, as their lips met again and their passion consumed them once more...

~*~

Regina tossed the photos down on her desk, as Sidney stood there as the bearer of the evidence.

"It's all over town already...David Nolan left his wife and obviously has already moved on," Sidney said.

"I'm aware," she snapped.

"The pictures are worth a thousand words," she added, as she glared at the photos.

"So...what now?" he asked. She smirked.

"You publish a scathing article about them and their scandalous love affair. The town's opinion of them will do the rest," she replied.

"They can be together all they want, but they'll be the most hated pair in town. We'll see how that love of theirs weathers the storm of public opinion and shunning," she said. He nodded.

"I'll have it ready for the morning edition," he replied.

"You defy me...then you better hope you can survive the storm," she murmured.


	3. Scandal

Chapter 3: Scandal

Waking up alone the next morning was very hard, though the memories of their lovemaking was fresh in her mind. After, he had held her for quite some time and they exchanged tender, loving kisses, before dozing off together for a bit. True to his word, in a way that her Charming always was, he awoke near morning and she reluctantly let him go so he would be gone before Emma got home.

Unfortunately, walking down Main Street that morning, toward the diner was even harder. The looks of disgust and the whispers were hard to take, even as herself. Regina was probably grinning from ear to ear now, because the whole town hated her. She took a deep breath, before walking into the diner and swallowed thickly, as the entire place stopped to stare at her. She walked to the counter and tried not to wince under Granny's stern look.

"I'm sorry...but I'm going to have to ask you to leave," she said. Snow was shocked at that.

"You're...you're refusing me service?" she asked.

"That's right...my business and I can decide who I want to serve and who I don't. So I'll tell you what I told the other cheater. Get out," Granny replied.

"Wait...David isn't staying at the Inn?" she asked.

"Not anymore. I kicked him out," Granny replied. Snow clamped down on her emotions and nodded.

"I see…" she replied, as she walked out of the diner. Ruby gave her grandmother a cold look, grabbed the cup of hot chocolate she had made, and hurried out.

"Mary Margaret!" she called. Snow swallowed her tears and turned, expecting to get an earful. Fortunately, even though Red was still cursed, it seemed that she was the only one unwilling not to judge her.

"Here...on the house. Hot cocoa with cinnamon," she replied. She looked surprised, but then took it.

"Thanks...but why?" Snow asked. Ruby shrugged.

"Staying with someone you don't love just to save a marriage is stupid," she replied.

"The rest of the town doesn't agree," Snow said.

"Who cares and it's pretty obvious David loves you. He told me so this morning," she replied.

"You saw David before he left?" she asked with interest.

"Yeah...he didn't say where he was going to go, but I sneaked him a cocoa and a few muffins," she replied. Snow smiled.

"Thanks Ruby," she said, as a few tears slipped down her cheeks and the brunette hugged her.

"Go find him and be happy," she urged.

"Being with him makes me happier than you know...but the rest of this isn't that simple," she replied. Ruby shrugged.

"This will all blow over," she promised, but Snow wasn't so sure. She knew Regina would find a way to keep fanning the flames so to speak.

"Thanks again Ruby…" she said. She wanted to find David, but school would be starting soon and she had to go to work. She knew he'd be okay, but she was still worried and she would find him the moment work was done with.

~*~

Regina smiled, as she looked out her bedroom window that morning. Naturally, she had been furious when she heard David Nolan told Kathryn that he wanted a divorce and that he was in love with Mary Margaret Blanchard. But the backlash from the town at their adultery was a delicious side effect that would certainly spoil their romance. And even if it didn't, she was certain she could find another way to keep them apart. It was going to be a good day.

~*~

After a tough day at work with glares of her co-workers blaring down on her, Snow made her way to her car, only to find it vandalized with the word tramp spray painted on it. Instead of driving, she made her way to the Toll bridge in tears. The tears stopped though when she spotted her husband just beyond the bridge in the valley below. She frowned though, as she saw what he was doing and hurried down the ridge.

"David!" she called. He turned and had a smile just for her, as she rushed into his arms. She pulled back and kissed her with wanton passion. He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her passionately in return.

"What...what is this?" she asked, as she noticed the tent and the fire.

"Uh well...I sort of got kicked out of the Inn and then I got to work and got fired," he replied.

"What? They fired you for divorcing Kathryn?" she asked in outrage. He shrugged.

"That's not the reason they used, but yeah that's probably why. It's okay though. I used the money I had left and bought a tent and a few supplies. I'll be fine," he assured.

"David...you can't sleep out here!" she cried.

"I've lived in the woods before...we both have," he reminded her.

"No...you're coming home with me," she decided. He winced.

"You know I'd love nothing more...but I don't think Emma would be comfortable with it and the last thing I want to do is come between you two," he replied.

"But David...you're her father," she protested.

"Not right now I'm not...and to her, her father is just some guy that abandoned her as a baby," he said. That reality hit her like a ton of bricks and she burst out in sobs. His eyes widened and he cradled her in his arms.

"Oh no...please don't cry, my darling...I didn't mean to make you cry…" he pleaded. He hated when she cried and hated it even more when he was the one to make her cry.

"It's not you…" she promised.

"It's me…" she sniffed.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"What have I done, Charming? Emma grew up alone...because of me," she sobbed.

"No...you didn't do this to her," he argued.

"I did! I made you take her to the wardrobe and put her through it!" she exclaimed.

"And if you hadn't, she would have been killed. That's what Regina came to do. That's why I was cut down. They were after our baby," he reminded.

"But she doesn't know that!" Snow cried.

"She will…" he promised, as he hugged her tightly.

"Have you eaten anything?" she asked.

"Ruby gave me some muffins and I was going to go catch some game," he replied. She sniffed and wiped her tears away, before taking his hand.

"You're not doing that. Emma is not home yet so we can at least cook and have dinner together. She won't be home until late again," she replied.

"That would be nice, but you do know I can live off game if I have to. We've both done it before," he reminded her again.

"I know, but I don't want you to have to," she replied, as she led him back to the loft with her.

~*~

In the week that followed, things did not get any better. The town was still shunning them both, mostly due to the fact that David was seen coming in and out of Mary Margaret's building frequently. He was still sleeping in the woods though, down by the Toll Bridge. Snow hated it, but the part about him being homeless hadn't gotten out yet. That didn't surprise her though. Regina wouldn't want him to garner any sympathy and she had Sidney Glass running scathing editorials about their torrid affair instead. She was sick of it. They were married for God's sake and Regina damn well knew it.

Emma had been quiet around her too; a clear sign that she didn't approve of Mary Margaret continuing to see David Nolan. Her husband kept convincing her that was why he had to continue to keep his distance from her when Emma was around though, but Snow was impatient. She reasoned that if everyone was going to hate her then they should just move in together and ride out the scandal together. Emma would come around or so she hoped. That was why she was now seeing Gold. David was going to be angry with her for going to him, but it was February and the temperature was going to drop below zero that night. And he could be stubborn and angry at her if he wanted to be, but at least he was going to be warm.

"Ah...Miss Blanchard, what a pleasant surprise. What can I do for you?" he asked. Snow regarded him with scrutiny. She was about ninety three percent positive that he was awake too and almost as positive that he somehow knew she was too, but as usual, he never revealed all his cards and his poker face was impressive.

"I am here to ask for something on behalf of someone else," she said meekly, hoping to make him believe that she was still Mary Margaret.

"I see and what is it that you need?" he prodded.

"You own the cabin in the woods near the Toll Bridge and I was wondering if you would be willing to rent it to me for a fair price...for a while," she said. She did not like the smirk that spread across his face.

"You want to stay in my cabin?" he asked.

"No...it's for a friend," she answered quickly.

"Ah...a friend. I do like to know who would be staying on my property," he mentioned. She met his eyes, which was not a thing Mary Margaret would ever do.

"You know who," she said. He was silent for a moment.

"Yes...it will be quite cold tonight, even for someone who is used to sleeping in the elements. But tell me...why don't you just take him home with you?" he questioned.

"I want to...but he refuses to let our relationship come between me and Emma," she said quietly.

"Ah…Miss Swan does not approve," he replied in amusement.

"A noble thing that not many men could honor. Tell David he may use the cabin as long as he needs it," Gold said.

"What's the price?" she asked.

"He'll never accept if he knows you'll owe me something for it," he said.

"He's stubborn like that," she conceded.

"Which I can appreciate. This one is free," he said.

"Why?" she questioned.

"That's my business," he replied. She sighed and turned toward the door.

"Thank you," she said, as she walked out, only to run into Emma.

"Hey...can you hold up for a few. I think we need to talk," the blonde said.

"Uh...can it wait until home? There is somewhere I need to go," Mary Margaret said, as she hurried off. Emma sighed and then went inside the shop.

"You called?" she asked.

"Yes…I have something that I need delivered," he replied.

"Do I look like the post office?" she deadpanned. He smirked and handed her a legal envelope.

"They are official documents of the court. They need to be delivered to Mr. Nolan," she said.

"That was one hell of a fast divorce," Emma said in surprise.

"Mr. Nolan did not contest anything and gave everything to Kathryn," Gold replied.

"Well, he's a cheater so he shouldn't, but I have no idea where he's staying," Emma replied.

"Neither of us do...but one person does," he said. Emma realized what he meant and hurried out to follow Mary Margaret, unknowingly, of course. Gold smirked, as she went. He hadn't expected such developments, but as always, he would factor these into his plans, because the end result would be the same. The curse would break and he would find his son.


	4. Helpless

Chapter 4: Helpless

Mary Margaret trekked down into the ravine below the Toll bridge and spotted his roaring fire in the near distance.

"Hey...it's freezing out here. What are you doing?" he asked, as he rushed to her. Neither of them were aware of the eyes on them.

"That's why I'm here...you can't stay out here. Not tonight. It's already in the single digits," she replied. He smiled at her concern.

"I'll be fine," he promised.

"No David...I'm tired of this! I want you home with me," she cried.

"And I want that too, my darling...but Emma would never be comfortable with it and I don't want anything straining your relationship with her," he said. Tears filled her eyes.

"I went to Gold…" she confessed.

"Why?" he asked in a measured tone.

"I asked him if you could use his cabin for shelter," she replied.

"No," he refused.

"No deals or anything. He said you could use it free and clear," she said. He scoffed.

"Yeah right, the imp always wants something," he refuted.

"Well, I really don't care, because I'm not having you sleeping out in the cold anymore," she argued. But he shook his head.

"Not if it means coming between you and our...your best friend," he said, catching himself.

"But…I need you…" she said, as she broke down crying again. His heart broke too at that and he swept her into his arms.

"I know...I know...I need you too," he whispered, as he kissed her forehead.

"I need you so badly that it's killing me. Every moment without you is a slow, agonizing death," he told her.

"But it will get better...you know that," he promised.

"It's not supposed to be like this," she sobbed.

'I know," he agreed.

"We're supposed to be a family. We're supposed to be together, because we're in love...we're soulmates," she cried, as she sobbed against his chest. He felt helpless. Even awake and fully aware of everything, he still felt helpless. He had to give it to Regina. The curse was doing its job perfectly.

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry…" he said, as he held her in his arms.

"Then you'll sleep in the cabin?" she asked, as she gave him her best sad puppy look and bit her bottom lip for ultimate effect. He sighed and shook his head.

"Will you sleep a wink if I don't?" he asked.

"Doubtful…" she replied. He sighed again.

"Okay...I'll do this for you. But if Gold comes back at you with some favor you owe him, then I'm gonna punch him in the face," he said. She grinned and threw her arms around him.

"You know...I could come back to the cabin with you," she tempted.

"You know I'd love nothing more, but I don't need more reasons for Emma to hate me," he replied, as she pouted. He smiled and kissed her lips passionately.

"We'll be together soon...I promise," he assured.

"It's getting dark...you should get home," he prodded sadly.

"That's hard to do when you're my home," she countered. She knew she was making this more difficult, but she couldn't help it. She just wanted to be with him so badly. He smiled and kissed her again.

"I love you…" he said.

"I love you too," she replied, as they shared another kiss and she reluctantly left him to go home to the loft.

~*~

Emma watched him for a few more minutes with scrutiny, observing his campsite. Had he really been living in the woods? She moved slightly and a twig snapped, catching his attention.

"Who's there?" he called defensively and she slowly moved out from behind the brush. He sighed and relaxed.

"Emma…" he said.

"Have you really been living out here?" she asked skeptically. He shrugged and went back to dousing the fire.

"It's not the first time I've been homeless," he replied, which surprised her.

"That's not in your file," she mentioned. He scoffed.

"There's a lot of things that aren't in that file," he retorted, as she approached him.

"How long have you been there?" he asked.

"Long enough to watch my best friend cry over you," she replied.

"Emma…I love her, more than my own life. I'd do anything for her," he said.

"And you," he said silently to himself.

"Then why won't you go home with her. That's what she wants," she replied.

"Because I won't do that if it means she loses her best friend over it," he said sternly. Emma was silent for the moment.

"You gonna go stay in the cabin for the night?" she asked.

"I promised Mary Margaret that I would and I will never do anything to hurt her ever again," he replied. She nodded.

"I have something for you...that's why I'm here," Emma said, as she handed him the envelope and he looked inside.

"Thanks," he said.

"Yeah...guess you're a free man now," she mentioned. He nodded and packed up the rest of his stuff.

"Thanks again," David said, as she watched him walk up the ridge and toward the cabin, before she turned and went home.

~*~

When she arrived home though, she sighed, as she observed her best friend curled up in a ball by the window with a pillow to her chest. And not her pillow. Definitely the other pillow on her bed, the one David had probably slept on.

"Oh Emma...I didn't hear you come in," Mary Margaret said, as she quickly wiped her tears away and got up.

"Okay...this is stupid. You're miserable," Emma complained.

"I'm fine," Mary Margaret sniffed, as she went to the kitchen.

"No...you're not. If you want David here...then he should be here. This is your house," Emma said.

"It's yours too," she insisted.

"Why does it matter so much to you that I approve of the guy you're sleeping with?" Emma questioned.

"Because you're my best friend! You matter to me more than you know!" Mary Margaret answered.

"Why?!" Emma snapped.

"Because I love you too, even if you refuse to believe it!" Mary Margaret snapped back. Tears filled Emma's eyes and they shared a fierce hug.

"Why are you and David so willing to be apart all of the sudden for me?" she questioned.

"I know it seems strange...but I promise you'll understand someday," Mary Margaret whispered, only confusing her more.

"That makes no sense, but I'm done with you two being all miserable and noble at the same time. Go get him," she insisted.

"Really?" Mary Margaret asked. The blonde nodded.

"Yes...you're just lucky I have noise cancelling headphones," Emma joked.

"You mean...if David was living here, you wouldn't leave?" Mary Margaret asked.

"I'm not leaving...go. I know you want to," Emma insisted. Mary Margaret smiled and got her coat.

"Just be careful," Emma pleaded.

"I'll be fine. Thanks Emma," Mary Margaret said, as she left the apartment and started toward her car.

~*~

An Hour Later

Emma laughed, as she watched a sitcom on TV, while enjoying a pint of Rocky Road when there was a knock on the door. She checked her watch and thought it was strange that Mary Margaret wasn't back yet, but it was possible she was still helping David pack up his stuff. She put the ice cream down on the coffee table and answered the door. She was stunned to find David there. Without Mary Margaret.

"Hey…" she said.

"Is Mary Margaret here?" he asked. Dread knotted in her stomach.

"No...she's supposed to be with you," Emma replied.

"She texted me that she was coming to tell me something, but she never showed up. I thought maybe she changed her mind, but she's not returning my texts," he said, clearly worried. Emma grabbed her coat.

"Stay here...I'm going to look for her," Emma said.

"No way...if she's in trouble, then I have to find her!" David exclaimed. Emma sighed.

"Fine...hope you can keep up then," Emma said.

"I think you'll be surprised at how well I can keep up," David retorted.

~*~

1 Hour Earlier

Snow was almost giddy, as she drove toward the Toll Bridge. However, she wasn't far from her apartment when she heard a clunk and the car died, as she pulled off to the side. She tried to start it, but it was dead and she got out. She knew next to nothing about cars, but opened the hood anyway, until she heard a twig snap. She looked up and all around her in the darkness.

"Hello?" she called, as she suddenly felt a prick on the back of her neck.

"Ouch…" she said, as she reached back there and was stunned to find a small dart.

"No…" she uttered, as she lost consciousness and fell to the cold ground. A figure approached and picked her up, throwing her petite form over his shoulder, before carrying her off.

When she awoke with a pounding headache, she opened her bleary eyes and found her hands were tied behind her back. Fear rippled through her, as she realized there was also a gag in her mouth. Her eyes widened, as Regina stood there with a man she did not recognize.

"Awake at last...though there was a time that I hoped you'd sleep forever," the Evil Queen commented, as she pulled the gag down.

"Let me go…" Snow hissed, with a glare at her step-mother.

"Not going to happen. You know, I didn't know if you were awake or not for sure until just now. Clearly, you've forgotten to put up your meek Mary Margaret act that you've been maintaining in public," Regina said.

"What are you going to do to me?" Snow demanded to know.

"First...you're going to drink this water," Regina said, as she held up a bottle.

"What's in it? Poison? Another curse?" Snow asked.

"No...that would be too quick and easy. No, it's a potion to make sure that you keep your real memories when Jefferson here takes you across the town line. I want you to remember how you're never going to see your husband...or your daughter again," Regina replied. Snow swallowed thickly and tried to keep herself from panicking.

"David will find me," she insisted. Regina smirked.

"I'd like to see him try in a city with more than eight million people," she hissed.

"Why? Why would you do this? You've already destroyed my daughter's life! Why would you destroy your son's too? He knows the truth!" Snow cried.

"He is my son...and he'll forget all about you soon enough," Regina growled, as Jefferson pulled her head back and Regina forced some of the water down her throat. Snow choked and screamed, before the gag was replaced between her teeth.

"Leave town as we planned...immediately," Regina ordered.

"And what exactly am I supposed to do with her?" Jefferson questioned.

"I told you...hold her at the apartment I got for you and then there will be someone coming for her," Regina replied.

"Who?" Jefferson asked.

"In my time in this land, I've discovered that there are people out there that know about us and they seemed very interested in having a live subject to study from our land. They'll pick her up and then I could care less what they do with her. In fact, I hope there's nothing but horror in your future," she hissed at her step-daughter.

"And then my daughter?" Jefferson asked impatiently.

"Yes, when you get back, you'll have your daughter as promised. With her memories returned," Regina promised, as the man hauled Snow to her feet and dragged her out to his car. Tears slipped down her cheeks uncontrollably, as they soon passed over the town line and she seriously wondered if she would ever see her husband or her daughter ever again…


	5. Revision

Clarity

Chapter 5: Revision

Emma watched David scour the woods in front of her with scrutiny. For a guy that used to seem so confused, he certainly seemed really put together now.

"Oh my God…" she heard him call, as she started running out of the woods and she hurried after him. That's when they saw her car in a ditch on the side of the rural road.

"Mary Margaret!" he cried, as he searched the car and all around it.

"She's not here…" he said, as his hopes were dashed.

"No...but there are footprints and none of them are hers. Look," Emma called, as she pointed to a set of tracks.

"You're right...those are too big to be hers, which means someone carried her off," he growled and it was an intensity she had never heard from him. They began to follow the set of tracks and a car passed them going the opposite direction, which they didn't think anything of at the moment. Until they came upon a large house on the rural road.

"Any idea who lives here?" Emma asked.

"No...but I know who will and whoever it is...they were probably in that car," he said.

"There is someone that will know," he said.

"Gold?" Emma asked.

"Trust me...he knows everything about this damn town," David replied, as they headed back to town.

~*~

He saw them coming before they did and normally, he would refuse to help. But now that Regina had made such a foolish move, things had drastically changed in his visions and helping was in his best interest. As he always did, when his vision changed, he made the necessary revision.

"Dammit Jefferson...this was not part of my plan," he growled, as he went to the picture on the wall and opened the wall safe behind it. Fortunately, he had planned for everything and though he loathed traveling beyond Storybrooke's borders, he knew the time would come when he needed to. It just wasn't supposed to be to retrieve Snow White. However, her absence in Storybrooke seriously jeopardized the curse being broken and that would sully everything he had worked for. He grabbed two bluish potions, just as David and Emma stormed into the pawn shop.

"Charming," Gold addressed the Prince. Emma didn't miss it and momentarily narrowed her gaze, before pushing that aside for the task at hand.

"Who lives in the mansion near the outskirts of town on Misthaven Road?" David questioned.

"His name is Jefferson and he is a former employee of mine," Gold revealed.

"We think he kidnapped Mary Margaret. Did you have anything to do with that?" Emma questioned.

"No...if he was working for me, I would have never given an order like that. I'd never want any harm to come to the fair Mary Margaret," he replied, as his eyes locked with David's.

"Then Regina did this...didn't she?" he asked.

"Most likely and Jefferson has left town," he revealed.

"How do you know that?" Emma asked.

"Because Regina doesn't want you two together and what better way than to take her somewhere where she thinks you cannot follow without consequences," Gold replied.

"Then I need your help. I'll make whatever deal you want, but I have to find her," David said.

"Agreed," Gold said.

"So what do we need to know about this Jefferson?" Emma asked.

"Well, he hates Regina for one thing," Gold replied.

"Then why the hell would he do anything for her?" David asked.

"The only way he would is if she promised him what he wants most," Gold replied.

"And what is that?" Emma asked.

"His daughter," Gold said. Emma raised an eyebrow.

"He has a daughter?" she asked.

"Yes...but she lives with her adopted family. It's complicated, but I know Jefferson well," he replied.

"If I offer him a better deal for the release of Mary Margaret, then he'll comply," Gold said.

"Fine...then we need to figure out where he went," David replied.

"New York," Gold replied.

"How the hell could you know that?" Emma asked. David's eyes locked with Gold's again.

"Because he just does," David answered for her. Emma opened her mouth to ask more questions, but Gold put up his hand.

"Miss Swan...time is of the essence and we must find the fair Mary Margaret, correct?" he asked. Emma closed her mouth.

"Fine...let's go," she said crossly.

"Oh, not so fast, dearie. You'll need me to come with you if you expect to barter a new deal with Jefferson," Gold said, as he limped out from behind the counter.

"Can you really get him to agree to a deal with you instead of the one he has with Regina?" Emma questioned. Gold smirked.

"Jefferson would betray Regina for a Klondike bar," he quipped.

"Trust me...if he thinks I can get him his daughter, he'll switch sides in a heartbeat," he said.

"Fine...your car is bigger than the bug, so you're driving," Emma said impatiently, as she walked out.

"Take this...we both will need it to get over the town line without losing our memories," Gold said.

"What's in this for you?" David asked, as they both drank the sour liquid.

"My son," he said.

"Your son?" David asked.

"No time to explain, dearie, but Regina has nearly destroyed everything I have worked for by kidnapping Mary Margaret and sending her over the town line. She wins if we don't find her," Rumple replied.

"I still don't know what that has to do with your son, but you're right. Emma will never believe anything or stick around this town without Snow...Mary Margaret," he corrected himself. Gold smirked.

"Welcome back, Prince Charming," he said, as he hobbled out and David followed him, with determination lining his face.

"I'll find you, Snow...I will always find you," he promised.

~*~

She sniffed and took solace in his arms, as he held her.

"It shouldn't bother me. I mean, it would have bothered Mary Margaret, but I'm not her anymore. At least...I don't want to be. But it does," she confessed.

"Of course it does and I want to throttle whoever did that. And I'm going to fix it. I have some time on my hands, since no one will hire me. I'll scrub it off your car," he said.

"Thanks...but I'm more sad that you're punishing you too for all this. You're homeless and I can't stand it!" she lamented.

"Hey...it's okay. I'm okay out here. You know living in the woods is like second nature for us," he reminded her.

"That was a long time ago," she murmured.

"It was...but I remember it all. We lived in the woods and still took back an entire Kingdom. Our wedding night was in the woods...our first time was under the stars," he said and she smiled at the memory.

"Well…I guess when you put it like that," she purred, as their lips met passionately and she giggled, as he pulled her into the tent.

~*~

Snow's emerald eyes fluttered open and she looked around, finding herself in an unfamiliar bedroom. She shot up off the bed and immediately went for the door, but found it locked. She went to the window next and opened the blinds. She guessed it was some kind of apartment building and she saw a fire escape. She tried opening the window, but found that it wouldn't budge, even when she unlocked it. She looked around the room for something hard and grabbed the lamp off the bedside table.

"I wouldn't do that…" Jefferson warned, as he walked into the room and closed the door.

"Why are you doing this!?" she demanded to know.

"You know why...I do this and I get my daughter back," he answered.

"So I have to lose mine again?" Snow questioned.

"That's not my problem. Besides, none of this would be happening if your daughter would just believe and break the curse already!" he snapped and she recoiled slightly.

"Emma...she's had a hard life," Snow said, choking a little bit at that.

"Because of Regina," Jefferson replied.

"If you know that, then why would you help her!?" Snow snapped.

"I told you why, dammit!" he snapped in return.

"She'll betray you...I know her, better than most," Snow warned.

"It's a chance I have to take...for Grace," he argued.

"Grace…" she said, trying to place the girl.

"She's Paige under the curse…" he told her.

"Paige...she's in my class!" Snow recalled.

"She's with a good family," she added and he glared at her.

"She's my daughter!" he shouted.

"I know...but at least she's safe! My daughter wasn't! My daughter was alone and thought she was unwanted," Snow cried, as tears slipped down her cheeks.

"But nothing could be further from the truth...please, I have to get back to Emma and Charming. I just found them again...we'll help you get Grace back!" she pleaded.

"You don't have that kind of power. The whole town thinks you're a tramp and your husband is living in a tent by a bridge," he retorted.

"But we're awake now and we can fight Regina," she added.

"You've been awake for weeks and you've done nothing," he spat.

"Because we didn't have any other allies. But if you joined us...we could fight her," Snow argued. But he shook his head.

"I can't risk Grace. I'm sorry...truly. I don't know who Regina is sending to pick you up, but I'm sorry for whatever horror awaits you," he apologized.

"I'm sorry too…" Snow said.

"For what?" he asked, but his answer came with a lamp over the head. He growled and cried out in pain, as she kicked him down and ran to the apartment door. He gave chase and she ran down the hallway, looking to escape the building.

~*~

David looked out the window from the backseat, as Gold drove. They were about halfway to New York and he was, not quite for the first time, realizing that all of his memories of going anywhere outside Storybrooke were curse memories. He had never been anywhere else in this land, except Storybrooke and neither had Snow for that matter. He knew his wife was a strong, capable woman, but there was still a lot of evil out in this world too. He was deeply worried and incredibly anxious. He couldn't lose her again, not when he had finally found her and they were themselves again. He heard something beside him and his eyes widened, as part of the backseat unfolded from the trunk of the car and Henry climbed through.

"Henry…" he uttered, catching Emma's attention and she turned her head. The blonde's eyes widened in surprise and horror.

"Henry!?" she cried.

"Kid...what the hell?" she shouted in a panic.

"I followed my mom and saw what she did to Mary Margaret," he explained.

"So you decided to stowaway in the car!?" she questioned. He shrugged.

"What she did was wrong and I knew David was going to find her. I want to help," Henry said, as he got into the seat and put his seatbelt on.

"Welcome to the mission, kid," David said.

"David…" Emma hissed.

"He's not coming with us! We have to take him back!" Emma insisted.

"Emma...we can't go back now. Mary Margaret is in danger," David reminded her and she couldn't deny that.

"Regina is gonna kill me...and then all of you...and then me again," she complained. But Gold kept driving without a hiccup and a smirk on his face at the prospect of Regina getting a taste of her own medicine.


	6. Reunited

Chapter 6: Reunited

Sidney sighed, as he got out of the car and approached Regina's porch.

"Well...did you find him!?" she shouted.

"Sorry...he's nowhere to be found. Are you sure he didn't leave Storybrooke again?" Sidney asked. She was about to refute that claim, but then realized that was exactly what he had done.

"Oh my God…" she realized. She knew, by now, that Emma would have realized that Mary Margaret was missing. But that didn't explain how she would have known she had been taken outside Storybrooke...unless…

"Get in the car...I need to get to Gold's shop," she ordered.

~*~

Snow ran through the hallways and found a stairwell. She made it down to the next floor when she slammed right into someone coming up.

"Whoa...is there a fire?" the man asked.

"No...but someone is after me! I've been kidnapped!" Snow cried.

"Uh wow...okay, well I mean I guess you can hide in my apartment," he said, as he led her onto the fourth floor, just as Jefferson came storming down the stairs. But since he didn't see her, he kept going down the stairs.

"Do you have a phone I could use?" Snow asked.

"Uh yeah, I guess you'd want to call the cops," he said and she noticed a nervous waver in his voice.

"No...no cops. They won't help me. I just need to call my...my boyfriend. I know he's terrified and trying to find me," she said. The man nodded.

"Sure…but can I at least get your name?" he asked.

"S...Mary Margaret. Mary Margaret Blanchard," she said.

"Nice to meet you, Mary Margaret. I'm Neal Cassidy, but I gotta say, you're a little trusting of strangers for someone that's supposedly been kidnapped," he said, as he unlocked his apartment. She stalled for a moment.

"Are you doubting my story?" she asked.

"No...but how do you know that I'm not an ax murderer or something?" he joked. She scoffed, as she followed him into the apartment.

"I don't, but I can take care of myself. The only reason I got kidnapped in the first place is that I got surprised and drugged," she said, as he handed her his phone.

"Thanks…" she said, as she dialed David first.

~*~

Regina was livid once she got to the shop and found it empty. After suggesting that he might be home, Sidney drove her to his house, but he wasn't there either and his car was gone as well. She knew what that meant. Emma had gone to Gold and he must have agreed to help her. No...there had to be more than that. David Nolan was knee deep in this as well. He was obviously awake and probably was the one to make a deal with Gold, knowing full well who he was. He knew he'd need help getting over the town line. And her son was with them.

"If Henry really did go with Emma...are you going to report her for kidnapping?" Sidney asked.

"No…I'm going to New York myself," Regina growled.

~*~

David's phone rang, as they entered the New York City limits and he answered it.

"Mary Margaret?" he answered hopefully, seeing that it was her. Emma turned around in her seat, looking at him anxiously.

"David…" she said, choking back a sob.

"Where are you? Are you okay?" he asked urgently.

"I managed to get away from Jefferson. I ran into a good Samaritan. He is letting me hide in his apartment and use his phone," she replied.

"Tell me where you are. Emma and I just got to New York," he said.

"Oh thank God," she said in relief.

"Regina...she knows we're awake," she warned.

"I figured, but everything's going to be okay. Where are you?" he asked, as he heard a muffled voice in the background.

"Three hundred twenty six, east one-hundred and eighty sixth street. Apartment Four B," she told them.

"Okay...sit tight. We'll find you," he promised.

"I know you will...I love you," she said tearfully.

"I love you too," he replied, as he hung up and sighed in relief.

"She's okay?" Emma asked. He nodded.

"She got away from Jefferson and someone is letting her hide in their apartment," he replied.

"Okay...I got the address into my GPS on my phone. We're thirty minutes away," she said, as Gold continued to drive from the prompts that her phone gave them.

~*~

Jefferson was freaking out now. He had been all through the building and around it, but she was gone. She had escaped and was nowhere to be found. Regina was going to be livid. If he didn't find Snow White...he would never get Grace back. He was close to panicking when he saw a car he recognized pull up. It was Gold and he quickly hid, watching as Emma, David, and Henry got out with Mr. Gold and went inside. Quietly, he followed them.

~*~

"Thanks for letting me use your phone. David should be here soon," she said.

"No problem...can I get you something to drink?" Neal asked. She nodded.

"Water would be nice," Mary Margaret replied, as she watched him carefully. He smirked and got her a bottle from the fridge.

"Worried that I might try to put something in it?" he asked. She tilted her head slightly.

"I was just drugged and kidnapped," she reminded him. He chuckled.

"Touche…I guess a girl can't be too careful," he agreed.

"Woman," she corrected and he nodded.

"Of course," he said, handing her the bottle.

"Thank you," she said, as she looked around curiously, before taking a drink.

"So...what do you do when you're not being drugged and kidnapped?" he asked, trying to break the tension.

"I'm a teacher. Fifth grade," she replied.

"Really?" he asked.

"Why does that surprise you?" she asked.

"It's just...who kidnaps an elementary school teacher?" he asked. She hummed.

"It's complicated," she offered. Before he could press further, there was a knock at the door and her heart skipped a beat. Neal opened the door and they ran to each other.

"David!" she cried, as he scooped her into his arms, spinning her around in relief, before kissing her soundly.

"You found me…" she whispered, as he pressed his forehead against hers.

"Did you ever doubt I would?" he asked.

"Mmm...no, though the sprawling city full of millions of people gave me pause," she joked, making him chuckle.

"Miss Blanchard!" Henry called, as he threw his arms around her and she looked at him in surprise.

"Henry...what are you doing here?" she asked.

"He sneaked into Mr. Gold's trunk like a stowaway...so we gotta go, because Regina is going to kill me," Emma said impatiently, before hugging her quickly.

"Oh…" Mary Margaret uttered in surprise, before hugging her back.

"You're the man that helped her?" David asked.

"Uh yeah, guess I was just in the right place at the right time," Neal replied, as they shook hands and Emma froze at the sound of his voice.

"Oh my God…" she breathed.

"Emma…" Neal said, as their eyes met.

"Neal…" she replied.

"Wait...you know each other?" Mary Margaret asked.

"Mom...who is he?" Henry asked.

"Mom?" he questioned and Emma felt like fainting.

"Emma? How do you know him?" David asked, as she swallowed thickly.

"Bae…" another voice uttered softly, making Neal freeze in his own tracks, as he turned to the man in the doorway.

"No…" he said.

"It's you...it's you…" Gold uttered.

"Okay...what the hell is going on?" David asked.

"Emma...who is this?" Mary Margaret pressed.

"How old is he?" Neal asked her and she put her hands over her ears.

"Just stop!" she cried.

"Mom?" Henry asked again.

"Is this my son?" Neal questioned and Henry's head snapped to him.

"But...but you said my dad died…" Henry said, with a quiver in his voice.

"Henry…" she started to say, but the boy ran into the bathroom and slammed the door shut.

"You told him I was dead?" Neal questioned.

"You left me and I went to prison!" she shouted at him, causing him to pull back slightly.

"You get Henry...I'll stay here and try to diffuse this," Snow whispered to her husband. He had a hard look for the man, but did as she asked and went to find their grandson.

~*~

"Henry...it's David," he called, as he knocked on the door and then opened it, peering in cautiously. He saw the boy sitting on the floor with a pout on his face.

"You're not David...not to me," he pouted. David smirked.

"Okaaay...it's Grandpa," he said, feeling a little odd with that title. Henry seemed to agree.

"Let's go with Gramps," he said. David smiled.

"Gramps it is," he replied, as he sat down in front of him.

"Emma lied to me," he said.

"Yeah...but for what it's worth, Henry, I don't think she did it to hurt you. In fact, I know she didn't," he reasoned.

"Then why?" he asked.

"Well…I don't have the whole story yet, but it sounds like she was with your birth father just before a really rough time in her life. And that's saying something. Her whole life hasn't been easy," David replied.

"Because...we had to give her up," he added.

"Because of my other Mom," he said bitterly and David didn't deny that. He wasn't in the mood to try and defend Regina, especially since she could have easily succeeded in making sure he never saw his wife again.

"Yeah...she shouldn't have lied, but I think she wasn't ready to talk about her painful past," he reasoned.

"It doesn't matter...she doesn't believe anyway," he said dejectedly. David reached over and clapped him on the shoulder.

"I know...but we're awake now and Mr. Gold has been awake even longer than us," he mentioned.

"How do we get Emma to believe?" he asked.

"I...I don't know, but we'll figure it out. Together," he promised.

~*~

"Bae…" Gold said in awe.

"Wait...you're his son?" Emma asked in disbelief.

"Uh yeah…" Neal answered.

"But you said you were an orphan...like me," she said in a measured tone.

"I was...he abandoned me," Neal replied, with a cold look at his father.

"Like my parents," Emma murmured.

"Except that your parents didn't want to abandon you. They did it, because of him," Neal interjected and she narrowed her gaze.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"The curse...I'm the reason for the curse. The Queen may have cast it...but he orchestrated the whole damn thing!" Neal snapped, pointing at his father.

"He's right...and I would do it all again if I knew it would lead to this moment. That it would lead to finding you," Gold replied.

"Well, maybe you shouldn't have let me go in the first place," Neal hissed.

"You're right...it was the biggest mistake of my life and one I spent hundreds of years trying to rectify. And all I have done has led here," Gold stated.

"And how many lives, including Emma's and her parents, did you destroy along the way?" Neal countered and Rumple looked down briefly.

"Countless," he admitted and Neal scoffed.

"Well, at least you're being honest," he said.

"Wait...curse?" Emma asked in confusion. He sighed.

"The boy has been right all along, Miss Swan...you should be listening to your son," Gold stated.

"He's right, Emma…" Mary Margaret finally spoke, as the blonde turned to look at her best friend. But what she saw alarmed her. She had seen tell tale signs of this over the past few weeks since she and David had started their relationship amidst his divorce. She had seen a boldness and confidence in her best friend that had not been there before, but she had been reluctant to acknowledge it, since she had been hell bent on denying that David was good for her, let alone that their love might be real. Acknowledging that meant facing truths that Emma was not ready for...


	7. Disbelief

Chapter 7: Disbelief

"He's right, Emma…" Mary Margaret finally spoke, as the blonde turned to look at her best friend. But what she saw alarmed her. She had seen tell tale signs of this over the past few weeks since she and David had started their relationship amidst his divorce. She had seen a boldness and confidence in her best friend that had not been there before, but she had been reluctant to acknowledge it, since she had been hell bent on denying that David was good for her, let alone that their love might be real. Acknowledging that meant facing truths that Emma was not ready for

And seeing her best friend now look at her with watery eyes filled with more love than Emma had ever known was something she was also not ready for.

"It's true…" Mary Margaret said tearfully.

"She's right Mom...it's true and they have their memories back now!" Henry called, as he came out of the bathroom with David and ran up to her. He hugged her around the waist and she hugged him too.

"Henry...I know that you want it to be true, but it just can't be," Emma said.

"Why won't you believe? And why should I believe you when you lied to me?" Henry asked in frustration.

"Henry…" she started to say.

"It's real…" he said, as he opened the book to a page that showed Rumpelstiltskin and a young Baelfire.

"This is you, isn't it?" he asked. Neal smiled.

"Yeah…" he said, as he knelt beside him.

"Wow...you figured all this out on your own?" he asked in amazement. Henry shrugged.

"He is a very smart little boy," Mary Margaret said fondly.

"It got kind of obvious when I was the only kid growing and passing through grades, while all my friends stayed behind in the previous grade," he said.

"I'm sorry...that must have been hard," Neal replied.

"He's right," Mary Margaret interjected.

"I didn't realize it when I was cursed...but all my students, except Henry, have been in my class for twenty-eight years," she said in amazement.

"Do you hear yourself?" Emma snapped.

"This is insane!" she cried, as she looked at all of them.

"Emma…" David started to say.

"No...you're the last person I need to hear from! You dumped your wife to have an affair with my best friend!" Emma cried.

"That's not true!" Mary Margaret exclaimed.

"He is my husband...not Kathryn's," she said fiercely.

"She's right...I never stood at the altar with Kathryn, but I did stand at one with her, twice in fact," David replied. Emma scoffed.

"She's right...Regina panicked when David woke up and had marriage papers drawn up to keep them apart. I can confirm that and even removing all of the curse stuff, you know from your profession that faking marriage papers is not difficult," Gold reasoned. She sighed.

"You have to admit that even you were skeptical that night when Kathryn just showed up out of the blue, claiming to have no idea her husband had been in a coma for years," he added. That was definitely true and Regina being his emergency contact had never made any sense either.

"Emma...if you want scientific proof of all of this, why don't the three of you just do a DNA test?" Neal asked. They all looked at each other, wondering why none of them had really thought of that.

"That's...that's a really good idea," Mary Margaret agreed.

"Have you forgotten that Henry is with us and Regina has probably filed kidnapping charges against me? I don't think we have time to do a DNA test. We need to get back to Storybrooke," Emma said.

"I doubt she filed them with any law enforcement. She does not want that kind of attention on Storybrooke. Plus, if she did, she knows her adoption of him can come into question," Gold stated.

"What do you mean?" Neal asked.

"I mean that I arranged the adoption...and there were no home follow ups that are usually required with the adoption of a child from the system," Gold replied.

"Did you know he was my son?" Neal asked.

"No...that was all fate, I assure you," Gold replied.

"The system is overwhelmed...kids fall through the cracks all the time," Emma said.

"Yes...and Regina would want to keep it that way. An investigation from them would be bad for her, especially since the biological parents have resurfaced and one that didn't know about him," Gold reasoned.

"He's right...we have just as much leverage on her as she has on us. Maybe more," Mary Margaret agreed. David slipped his arms around her from behind and pulled her close.

"Then we use it. The town might still be cursed, but we're not. And she does not want everyone else to wake up," he said.

"She probably also doesn't want Henry's biological father stepping into the picture either. But I am," Neal said.

"Then you'll be returning to Storybrooke with us?" Gold asked.

"Not for you," Neal replied, as he looked down at his son.

"For him," he stated. That brought a smile to Mary Margaret's face.

"Don't I get a say in that?" Emma questioned.

"Of course you do...but I'm not abandoning him now that I know about him," Neal answered.

"No...just me, right?" she countered.

"I didn't want to!" he cried.

"Then why did you?" she demanded to know.

"Because August told me I had to!" he exclaimed. She pulled back.

"August...you know August?" she asked suspiciously.

"Not until he tracked me down, that night we were supposed to escape to Canada and told me everything," Neal revealed.

"Everything about what?" Emma asked. He rolled his eyes.

"The curse, Emma...the curse! He's from there too," Neal replied.

"Really? Who is he?" Henry asked.

"Uhh...he's Pinocchio," Neal answered. Emma snorted.

"Well, that explains the lying," she quipped.

"Wait...Pinocchio? That doesn't make any sense. How did he get here?" Snow asked. Neal looked at her and a bit uncomfortably.

"The same way Emma did," he answered.

"No...no, that's impossible, because the wardrobe only took one," Snow insisted and David closed his eyes, realizing it before she was willing to accept it.

"They lied to you...it took two," he said.

"I...I could have gone with her?" she croaked and then looked back at her husband.

"We both could have...if we had gone before I went into labor," she realized.

"Never trust a fairy," Gold said.

"I need a drink…" Emma commented, as she sighed.

"So Blue and Geppetto lied to us…" David realized, letting that sink in for a moment.

"So what now?" Henry asked, as they heard a noise at the door. David put his hand up to silence them all, as he crept to the door and put his ear to it. He could hear someone breathing, like they were anxious or out of breath, and opened the door. Jefferson stumbled and fell onto the floor, but David helped him up by picking him up by the shirt.

"I was hoping you'd show up," he growled, as he grabbed him by the collar.

"She made me do it!" Jefferson pleaded.

"So you just do whatever Regina tells you?" David growled, as Snow put her hand on his arm.

"David…" she soothed, as he deflated a little and lightly shoved Jefferson away.

"She told me that if I helped her that I could have my daughter back!" he claimed.

"You know that Regina will never give you what you want. She'll betray you every time. The only way to get your daughter back is for the curse to break," Gold said.

"Tell that to her!" Jefferson hissed, as he pointed at Emma.

"At this rate, the curse will never be broken!" he ranted.

"All the evidence is right in front of her and she won't open her eyes! She doesn't even believe her own son...or her parents," Jefferson added, glaring at her.

"Some Savior," he grumbled.

"Hey…I didn't ask for any of this crap!" she retorted.

"We know you didn't...we never wanted any of this," Snow said, as she grabbed the book and turned to a particular page.

"This…" she said, as she handed the book to the blonde.

"This was supposed to be our life," Snow said tearfully, as she showed her the nursery, which was full of toys and a crib, with a unicorn mobile. The same unicorn mobile in Gold's shop.

"This is insane…" Emma lamented.

"See...she's never going to believe!" Jefferson said.

"Hey!" David hollered.

"Back off...it's a lot and no matter what, even if she doesn't believe it, she's our daughter and you're not going to talk to her like that!" David snapped, surprising Emma.

"And you're lucky that I haven't punched your lights out for kidnapping my wife," he added.

"I told you why I did it! For my daughter! We both have kids we'd do anything for! Don't you think we can find common ground in that?" Jefferson asked.

"Oh so now you want to work with us?" David questioned.

"Do I have much choice? It's either you or the Queen...though I'm starting to question if you really are the lesser of two evils," Jefferson retorted. David snorted.

"Well, keep pondering if you must, but I say we get home to Storybrooke and deal with her head on," he said.

"No need," a voice said coolly, as they all turned to find Regina standing in the doorway.

"Uh oh…" Henry said.

"Uh oh is right, young man," Regina said sternly.

"Emma didn't know I was in the car," Henry told her.

"But when she found out...she didn't turn around and bring you back," Regina accused.

"Excuse me, but I was a little busy looking for Mary Margaret, whom you had kidnapped by your goon!" Emma accused her back.

"Hey…I'm not a goon," Jefferson interjected, but he was ignored, as the two women glared daggers at each other. Regina smirked and then looked at Snow and David.

"If you two think I made your lives hell before...you haven't seen anything yet," she warned, as she looked at Emma.

"If you break my curse, Miss Swan, there will be a war unlike anything you've ever seen," she threatened.

"Mom please…" Henry pleaded.

"You are in enough trouble," she snapped to him.

"He's my son...I have legal custody and there will be no more visitation. I've been nice up until now...but that's over," Regina said. Emma snorted.

"Really? That was nice? Bring it and maybe you don't have as much leverage as you think," Emma argued.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked.

"She means me," Neal interjected, as he stepped forward.

"And you are?" she asked. He smirked.

"Henry's biological father...who didn't know about him," Neal replied.

"Who just happens to also be my son," Gold added, enjoying the look of disbelief and the tell tale sign of fear on her face.

"You're joking…" she refuted.

"Oh not at all, dearie. It seems that your little ploy in abducting...Mary Margaret has blown up in your face, spectacularly so," Gold goaded.

"It forced my hand early and led me to my son. Imagine my surprise when it became known that he and Snow and Charming's daughter had a child. The child which you adopted," he said.

"You...you knew…" she accused.

"Oh no...that was fate stepping in and since my son had no idea that Henry existed, he intends to fight for his right to custody or at the very least, visitation," Gold said.

"You can't do this…" Regina hissed.

"Oh we can...so you might want to rethink your little war you intend to wage," he warned. She glared back at him.

"We'll see who wins this war. The curse isn't breaking...not if you want peace," she said.

"Don't worry...your curse is fine or whatever," Emma said, as she looked at David and Mary Margaret.

"It's not like I believe it anyway," she said. Those words crushed them and Henry, as she stormed out.

"Henry...let's go," Regina snapped, as she left.

"Well...that will be an uncomfortable ride back," Gold said, as he looked at his son.

"Uh...give me a few minutes to pack and you two can ride back with me," Neal offered and the couple nodded.

"What about him?" David asked.

"He can ride back with me and Miss Swan, assuming he's ready to pick the right side, because make no mistake, Hatter...you've instigated a war," Gold stated.

"You know I hate her...and if these two are really ready to fight to break this stupid curse, then I'm in too. On your side," Jefferson replied.

"We're going to do whatever it takes to get our daughter to believe and get her back," David assured, as he threaded his fingers with Snow's.

"I hope you mean that...because things may get very ugly," Gold warned ominously, as they prepared to return to Storybrooke.


	8. Denial

Chapter 8: Denial

"I can't believe it...I just can't believe you ran off again. Do you have any idea how worried I was?" she questioned.

"I was with Emma and Gramps, so I was fine," he said, as something occurred to him.

"Actually, I guess I was with both my grandpas. I have two now, you know," he retorted. Regina took a deep breath to keep from exploding in rage at that.

"Henry…" she started to say.

"You can save the lectures on how the book isn't real. That jig is up, even if Emma refuses to believe," he replied.

"My grandparents are awake, Mr. Gold is awake, and I have a dad now," he said.

"David and Mary Margaret are not your grandparents...they are absurdly young for that," she replied, but he only shrugged.

"That's only because of your curse and they didn't age," he shot back, frustrating her further.

"Well...you're grounded for a very long time, so you're not going to be seeing anyone," she warned, but he smirked.

"Except my dad...and I bet he'll let me see my grandparents," he retorted. Regina pursed her lips, but remained silent, as she kept driving.

~*~

Jefferson curiously flipped through the book that Henry had lent to him upon his request, with the promise to return it once they were home, of course.

"This is...amazingly detailed. Did you do this?" Jefferson asked.

"That wasn't me either, dearie. I believe it appeared one day in the fair Mary Margaret's closet. Not even I am privy to how," Gold replied.

"Well, that has to bug the life out of you," Jefferson snorted.

"Normally yes...but the book has served its purpose quite well. Young Henry already knew something was off and the book led him down the right path," Gold said. Emma snorted in annoyance.

"You really like denial, don't you?" Jefferson asked.

"You're asking me to believe in fairy tales," Emma replied.

"No, I'm asking you to believe in history...history of a different world. Are you so arrogant as to think this one is all there is?" he asked.

"No...but other worlds aren't my concern, because I'm in this one," Emma retorted.

"I've been alone in this world...for my whole life and all the sudden, I'm supposed to just accept all this?" she asked.

"You know, you act like you're the only one that's had a rough life," Jefferson argued.

"Well, my supposed parents are a Prince and a Princess. Yeah...that sounds rough," she argued back. He snorted.

"You really need to read your own history," he said, as he handed her the book, with a picture of David in tattered clothes on a small farm. Her brow furrowed and she found herself drawn into the story.

~*~

"She hates us," Snow sniffed, as she rested her head on David's chest. Neal had offered to drive and they were cuddled together in the backseat.

"She doesn't hate us...certainly not you. She's just confused and angry right now," David assured her.

"I...I don't want to intrude into this conversation, but I know Emma pretty well and I guess I'm kind of the reason you didn't get to raise her. For that, I'm sorry. I hate what my father did to all these innocent people, but I know Emma. She loves denial, but she'll come around," he offered. David stared at him for a moment and then nodded.

"Thank you," David replied, as he pressed another kiss to Snow's hair.

"If you're Rumpelstiltskin's son that he lost so many years ago...how are you still as young as you are? You weren't cursed like us," David inquired.

"No…I wasn't, but unfortunately, I ended up in Neverland. It was hard to keep track of time there, but I was probably there for a couple hundred years before I escaped to this land," Neal answered.

"I had nothing...so I stole to get by. I'm sure you know Emma did too...and that's probably not something you like," he said.

"Actually…I know a little bit about stealing to survive," Snow murmured.

"Really? Doesn't sound like your typical Princess story. Guess I'll have to read Henry's book," Neal said fondly.

"We met, because she stole my mother's ring and sold it to some trolls," David said fondly.

"I was trying to get enough gold to escape and get to a land beyond Regina's reach," she reminded him.

"Yeah...but after that day, despite having the gold, you didn't leave," he said. She smiled up at him.

"I guess, deep down, I knew there was something to stay for, though I wasn't about to admit it," she said, as she thought for a moment.

"I guess we know where Emma gets her denial from," she mentioned. He smiled.

"She gets a lot from you," he promised.

"Maybe...but she has your tunnel vision," she teased, getting him to smile. Neal was silent, letting them have their moment. He was happy for Emma that she had found her parents, especially since they seemed like such great people. He just hoped she was ready to be happy for herself soon.

~*~

Tamara stared into the empty apartment and pursed her lips. She had chosen this empty apartment, a couple floors above Neal's, for a drop off and pick up point due to the easy access. But obviously something had gone wrong and the subject had been rescued. Worst of all, Neal told her, with no notice, that he had to go out of town for a while. It was suspicious at best and knew there was likely a connection between the two incidents. She took out her phone and dialed a number.

"Hello?" a man answered.

"We have a problem...she's not here," Tamara reported.

"She escaped?" he asked.

"Or was rescued…" she replied.

"They won't be happy about this...they have been waiting a very long time to get someone from there," the man said vaguely.

"I know...but I think my "fiance" is involved and is with them. That means I might have an in," she replied.

"Getting into the honeypot itself might redeem you then. I hope you can pull it off for your sake," the man said, as he hung up. She clenched her teeth and pocketed her phone.

Magic...she hated it. But she was no longer working for the Home Office. Her new employers had clued her in that the Home Office had no intention of ever destroying magic and that she had simply been a pawn. She had been infuriated and hated that her new employers didn't want to destroy magic either. However, they did want to control it and exploit it, which was better than letting magic run rampant. She got her phone out again and dialed another number, which unfortunately went to voicemail.

"Hey honey...it's me. I got your message and I was hoping that wherever you've gotten off to...maybe I could join you. Call me back. Love you," she said, as she hung up the phone. Now she just had to wait for Neal to call and hopefully give her the directions to the treasure trove that would certainly get her back into the good graces of her employer.

~*~

They arrived home in Storybrooke late that night and they got to the loft a little after Emma did. When they didn't see her downstairs, they assumed she had already gone up to the loft.

"Listen…" David said, as he took her hands in his own.

"Maybe it's best if I go stay up at the cabin for a couple days while all this sinks in for Emma," he suggested.

"But...before I was abducted, she was finally accepting the idea of you moving in," Snow replied.

"I know, my darling...but a lot has changed since then. You two need time to talk and I think it's easier if I'm not here getting in between you," he said.

"No...you're her father. You're my husband!" Snow insisted hotly.

"I know...I know, but that's just to us right now. To everyone else...I'm the scum that cheated on his "wife" and divorced her to be with another woman," he said.

"Don't talk about yourself like that…" she whimpered and he hugged her tightly.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry this is so hard," he apologized. She sniffed.

"It's not your fault...it's mine. Maybe I shouldn't have gone all in on the book. Maybe I should have played dumb when Neal and Henry insisted it was all real," she murmured.

"No...that might have been worse in the end. When she does accept it...it's better that she knows we tried to be truthful with her from almost the beginning," he said. She nodded, knowing he was probably right.

"This is such a mess...it's not supposed to be this way," she said, as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"It's going to get better...even if it has to get worse to get there," he assured her. However, even he couldn't realize how stunningly right that statement was at the moment.

They heard Emma come down the stairs and came out from behind the curtain around the bed. But Snow's heart dropped into her stomach when she saw her set her bag down.

"Where...where are you going?" Snow squeaked.

"I think it's better if I move out for a while...and stay at Granny's," Emma told her.

"Emma...if this is about me, then I'm more than willing to stay somewhere else. You don't have to leave," David said.

"It's not...I just can't be here right now," Emma replied.

"Emma please...can we talk?" Snow asked.

"It's late...and I have an early shift. I'm just gonna go," she replied, as she walked out and closed the door. It was at that moment that Snow burst into tears, as it all came crashing down on her. David was there to catch her and hold her, letting her sob almost uncontrollably against his chest.

~*~

Neal stood at the check in desk, as his father stood beside him.

"You know...I have plenty of guest rooms," Gold offered.

"Yeah...that's not happening," Neal replied.

"Bae…" he started to say.

"Neal," Neal corrected in a measured tone.

"I want to talk...you have to know how much I regretted not going with you through that portal," Gold said.

"No…I don't have to know that. You chose power over me and you have to live with that choice. Except then I find out that you didn't and instead wreaked havoc on an entire population to try to fix your mistake," Neal replied. He opened his mouth to speak, but Neal continued.

"Emma grew up alone...because of you. We both did, because of you," Neal said.

"Regina may have cast the curse, but I know the story. August is a liar, but I know what he told me about the curse was true," he continued.

"I had to find you…" Gold insisted.

"Not at the expense of innocent people!" Neal hissed.

"And Regina? You created a monster that has hurt hundreds of people, maybe more, for me!" he said.

"Do you have any idea how that feels? How it feels to know that innocent people died just so you could get here?" he asked.

"I regret that all of that had to happen...but I don't regret that it got me back to you," Gold admitted. Neal scoffed.

"Of course you don't," he deadpanned, as Ruby returned with his room key.

"Um...here you go," she said. He offered a kind smile.

"Thanks," he replied, as he turned back to his father once she left.

"Look, the only reason I'm even here is because of Henry, so if you think it's for you, then you're delusional," Neal said. Gold was about to speak again, but the door opened, revealing Emma with a bag in hand. Her eyes met Neal's and she sighed, as she approached the desk.

"What are you doing?" Neal asked. She looked at him like it was obvious.

"Getting a room," she answered, as Ruby went to get a key.

"Don't you live with Mary Margaret?" he asked.

"Not anymore," Emma replied. He sighed.

"Emma...if you're looking to blame someone for all this then look no further than my father and Regina," he said.

"I'm not blaming anyone and if it wasn't for Henry, I'd blow this town like a popsicle stand," she replied.

"Well, I'd say we have that in common, except I don't believe that about you," he said. She snorted.

"You'd be wrong," she said.

"No…I know you. You have looked for your parents your entire life and now that you had a chance to be under the same roof as them, you do what you do best," he said, staring her dead in the eyes.

"You run," he said, as Ruby returned with her key.

"Go to hell," Emma spat, as she grabbed the key and stormed upstairs. He rolled his eyes and looked at his father.

"Same sentiment to you," he said, as he went to find his room for the evening. Gold was silent for a moment, before he slowly left the Inn for the evening, more distraught than he had been in a very long time...


	9. Rebellion

Chapter 9: Rebellion

Regina glared out the window that morning at the town that was supposed to be hers. The moment Emma Swan came to town, control began to slip through her fingers and she didn't like it at all. She thought by giving the amnesiac David Nolan curse memories of a fake wife that it would effectively separate him from Mary Margaret. And even when it didn't, she had taken great pleasure in exposing them as adulterers and making them public enemy number one to the entire town. David Nolan had even been fired from his job, a nice plus that she didn't even have anything to do with.

But things had taken a turn against her. The town still hated her biggest enemies, but her son had turned almost completely against her. Add to that, his biological father had emerged into the picture and he happened to be the son of her old mentor and now enemy, the Dark One, Rumpelstiltskin himself. And that did not bode well for her at all. Emma also now knew that the curse was real, even if the stubborn blonde was denying it. She took a small glint of satisfaction though when she learned that she had checked into Granny's Inn. She was hoping she would run into the two idiots later so she could rub salt in that open wound. But it would get harder for Emma to deny the reality of the curse soon and if it broke, Regina knew she would lose everything. She had to do something to prevent that, though she wasn't sure how yet. But in the meantime, there was one thing she could do to stick it to her greatest enemy and she intended to do just that as she picked up the phone.

~*~

David put the pancakes on the plates and looked toward the bed that morning. Snow was awake, but still in bed, which didn't surprise him. Emma's rejection had hit them both hard and neither of them knew exactly how to move forward from here. So breakfast in bed, though likely to have no effect, was his attempt to cheer her up. Nevermind the fact that he was cooking for them, because they were both banned from the diner. That didn't bother them too much though. The town could hate them all they wanted, but Emma hating them was a pill neither of them wanted to swallow. He was surprised though when he saw her standing in the kitchen.

"Hey…" he greeted her, admiring the way she looked wearing just his plaid shirt from the day before.

"Hey…" she greeted, before pecking him on the lips.

"I was going to bring you breakfast in bed," he mentioned.

"I know...and you're sweet, but I need to stop wallowing in self pity and have a proper breakfast with my husband at the table," she said. He smiled gently.

"I'm glad you feel that way," he said, as he put their plates on the table and she poured them some orange juice.

"Pancakes…I didn't know you knew how to make pancakes," she mused.

"It's a box mix...and I have vague curse memories of making them. I put cinnamon in them though," he mentioned, making her smile, as they ate together. After they finished, Snow ended up in his chair with him, draped across his lap, as they kissed passionately. She rested her head against his shoulder, content to let him hold her.

"I guess I better get ready for work," she said.

"Yeah…I need to find a job too. Hopefully, I can find someone in this town that's not judgmental," he mentioned, as they stood up, just as her phone rang.

"Hello…" she answered.

"Oh hi Principal Miller," she said.

"Wait...you're what?" she asked and then shook her head.

"I don't understand...there is no reason for you to do this! My class has some of the highest test scores of all," she said, raising her voice a bit, but she then closed her eyes when it became clear that he didn't care and the line went dead.

"Don't tell me…" he said.

"Yeah…I just got fired. He said that concerned parents have come forward and are no longer comfortable with someone of my character teaching their children," she replied, as a few tears slipped down her cheeks.

"This has Regina written all over it," he said, as he pulled her into his arms.

"What are we going to do?" she asked.

"I don't know...but we're not going to lose hope. That's exactly what that bitch wants," he replied. She sniffed.

"How do we fight her? How do we fight her in a town where she can just make a call and get me fired? Or you? Even if we do find other jobs...how long until she pressures those people to fire us?" Snow asked.

"We fight her like we always have by doing what infuriates her the most," he answered.

"And what's that?" she asked.

"We be happy...it will piss her off more than anything," he answered. She sighed.

"I'm serious...and today is the perfect day to really stick it to her and the whole town," he said.

"Why today?" she asked, as he pointed at the calendar and she smiled gently.

"Valentine's Day," she said.

"Exactly. The town seems to have a problem with us, so instead of avoiding everyone and staying in like we've been doing, we should do the opposite," he replied.

"So you want to go out? Like on a real date?" she asked.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Well, we're sort of banned from Granny's," she reminded him.

"So screw Granny's. We'll go have a picnic in the park for all to see and then we'll go to the Rabbit Hole for a drink and some dancing. They let anyone in," he mused. She snorted at that.

"The Rabbit Hole...I guess that could be fun," she said, as he took her in his arms.

"Yeah and you can wear a sexy dress and we can show the town that our love is real and we're not going away. They and Regina want us to hide in shame so we should be doing the opposite," he said. She bit her bottom lip.

"Okay...let's do it. Screw Regina," she said. He smiled and kissed her soundly.

"You clean up and I'll pack for our picnic. Then we'll come home and go out tonight and rub it in everyone's faces," he replied. But she grabbed his hand.

"We can both pack for the picnic later...because I'd much rather you join me in the shower now," she said in a sultry tone. He grinned, as their lips met again and she pulled him toward the bathroom with her.

~*~

Henry stormed into the house ahead of Regina and stomped upstairs after dropping his backpack on the floor.

"Henry…" Regina called in irritation, but he only responded by purposely taking his shoes off and tossed them on the stairs. She hated when he did that, so she wasn't surprised by him doing it deliberately.

"Henry…" she called through his doorway and then went inside.

"Go away!" Henry cried.

"No...we're going to talk," she insisted.

"I don't want to talk to you! You got Miss Blanchard fired!" he yelled.

"She's not a good person, Henry," Regina claimed as calmly as possible.

"You're wrong! You're the bad person and she's really my grandmother!" he shouted angrily. Regina took a deep breath, trying to calm her temper.

"Fine...you can just sit in here and pout, while I go make dinner. Then you will come down and we will eat together," she said, as she left and closed the door. But Henry had other ideas. He grabbed another pair of shoes and then quietly opened the window. He climbed out onto the tree branched and made his way down the tree, before running away.

~*~

"Mmm…" Snow mewled, as he fed her another bite of the chocolate cake they had brought with them. She giggled, as he then kissed her again after she swallowed.

"This was the best idea," she mentioned.

"Really? Even with all the dirty looks we've gotten?" he asked. At least fifteen people had walked by the park so far and acted like expected at the sight of them.

"Actually…I think that's making this more fun. I mean, this whole not giving a damn thing makes it very easy," Snow replied.

"Definitely...being rebels is kind of fun," he agreed, as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"And watching a bunch of old hen's heads explode. I think the book club coming to the park for their meeting and then leaving in a tizzy once they saw us was probably the best," she giggled. He grinned.

"Yeah...that was pretty good and I love seeing you smile and hearing you laugh. Making you happy is my mission in life," he said, as he pressed a kiss to her hair. She raised her head and kissed his lips again.

"You do...you always do," she said in a dreamy tone.

"This is the best Valentine's Day ever, though it's not really hard to beat Mary Margaret's previous Valentine's Days which consisted of a box of chocolates and cheesy romance movies," she mentioned. He hummed and kissed her again.

"This curse is weird...all the memories are there, but vague and distant. Like I remember literal things that never happened and yet can't discern any real passage of time," he said. She hummed at that.

"I know what you mean. My life as Mary Margaret was basically the same day over and over again, with a few minor differences. I supposedly even went to college in Boston, but I've never been there. There's just one vague memory of me sitting in some classroom that never happened," she explained.

"Was this really her plan? I mean, she succeeded in separating us, mostly thanks to my coma, but this is it?" he wondered. She shrugged.

"I guess...I mean, I wonder if she really understood what the curse even was exactly. The Dark One sold it to her as a way of getting revenge on us and taking away everyone's happy endings. Maybe that was enough for her...for a while anyway," she said.

"Yeah...somehow I doubt he gave her a lot of detail about exactly what the place the curse would take us would be like. In some ways...this world is better. Easy access to food, medicine, and a much easier way of life," he mentioned.

"Yes…I do like the conveniences of this world. But people don't believe in anything in this world. To most, true love only exists in movies and stories," she said, with a touch of sadness in her voice.

"Well...for us, we know that's not true. And who knows, maybe we'll show them our love is real and they'll start to believe in something. Maybe believing is truly will end this curse. Henry believed and look at everything that happened just because of him," he said.

"I guess you're right...we owe him a lot. But will Emma ever believe?" Snow asked.

"I don't know...but we can have hope," he replied, as he kissed her tenderly.

"Now...let's go home and change for tonight. Then we can really make waves," he said, as he offered his hand and helped her up. They packed up their basket and headed back to the loft.

~*~

Henry stormed down the street and spotted Emma outside the station by the bug.

"Hey kid...aren't you supposed to be home grounded?" she asked.

"I sneaked out the window," he replied. She sighed.

"Henry...you can't keep doing that. Your Mom is already pissed enough at me," Emma said.

"You are my mom," he corrected. She sighed again.

"I am...but we still have to respect your other mom's rules and I'm in enough hot water as it is," Emma replied.

"But I don't want to go back there," he whined. She sighed.

"Tell you what...let's go get you a cocoa and talk a little bit. Then maybe we can get you back before she notices," Emma said, as they got in the bug.

"How was school?" she asked.

"Really bad...Miss Blanchard was fired," he replied.

"What?" she asked in alarm.

"You didn't know? You live together...she didn't tell you?" he asked.

"Uh no...I sort of moved out last night," she replied.

"Why?" he asked sharply.

"It's complicated, Henry," she tried to explain, but he immediately got out of the car.

"No it's not! They're your parents and they only gave you up, because of my other Mom! But you won't believe it!" he said angrily, as he ran off.

"Henry, wait!" Emma called, as she started chasing after him, until her phone rang.

"Dammit…" she cursed, as she answered.

"Sheriff…" she said and then closed her eyes, sighing.

"Yeah…I'll be right there," she said. Henry would have to wait a bit, as she had to go pull a drunk out of the Rabbit Hole, as usual...


	10. Open Wounds

Chapter 10: Open Wounds

Henry rushed toward the diner and sped around the corner, only to collide Neal, the very person he was seeking.

"Whoa...where's the fire, kid?" Neal asked and then saw how upset he was. He got down on one knee so he could look him in the eye.

"What's up?" he asked.

"My Mom...Regina got Miss Blanchard...my grandma Snow fired from her job so she's not at school anymore. She's the only one that talks to me and understands me!" he cried.

"Hey…fortunately that's not true anymore. You have me now, your grandpa David, and Emma of course," he said.

"No...she won't believe!" he said in exasperation.

"She moved out of the loft!" he cried and Neal gave him a hug.

"Okay buddy...I know you're upset, but things will work out," he promised.

"How do you know?" he asked.

"For the same reason that you know. Your grandparents are awake and Emma is just stubborn. Stubborn as hell...believe me, I know better than anyone. She'll eventually come around," Neal replied.

"In fact, I know her pretty well and I'd say she already knows in her heart. She's just really good at denial, buddy," he said.

"I don't want to go home to my Mom. Can I stay with you?" Henry asked. He chuckled.

"I'd love that...but you know I don't actually have custody of you, right? If it were that simple, we'd make it happen in a heartbeat," Neal replied.

"But it can! Your Dad was gramps' lawyer and he made sure David got divorced from the fake marriage that my Mom put him in. He can help you get custody!" Henry exclaimed.

"Henry...we can't trust my Dad," Neal claimed.

"I know he's done some bad things...but you're his son. He would do anything for you," Henry insisted.

"I'm not sure that's true," Neal argued.

"No...he will! Please!" Henry pleaded. Neal sighed and then gave in under his pleading stare.

"All right...do you know where his house is?" Neal asked.

"Yes, but he's probably at his shop. Come on!" Henry called, as he pulled his newly discovered father along, despite his reluctance.

~*~

Snow and David walked into the Rabbit Hole that evening and as expected, all eyes were on them momentarily.

"Yep...they're staring," she murmured, as he helped her with her coat and they found a table. He put her coat on the back of her chair and pushed her in once she was seated.

"They are, but then so am I with you in that dress," he said, marveling once again at her beauty. She smiled slyly.

"You like?" she asked.

"I love...I mean you always look beautiful, but wow…" he replied, admiring her trim figure in the curve hugging teal dress she was wearing. It had very thin straps, leaving her milky shoulders in view and it was short, giving him the vision of her gorgeous, shapely legs.

"What are you thinking?" she asked, biting her bottom lip as if she didn't know.

"I'm thinking about having you in my arms and kissing you...and other things…" he replied.

"Mmm…this is a nice table, but you're too far away," she said. He got up and moved his chair to the side of the small table, rather than across from her where it was.

"Much better," she said, as they joined hands and were about to kiss when the waitress approached.

"Drinks?" she asked.

"Uh...yes, I'll have a Malibu pineapple," Snow said.

"Just a beer," David said, as the waitress left them and they resumed where they were. Unfortunately, their lips barely touched before they were interrupted again.

"Well, well...fancy meeting you two lovebirds here," Ruby said in a cheeky tone.

"Hey Ruby," Snow greeted, wishing it was Red at that moment.

"Can we join you?" Red asked and they noticed that Ashley was with her.

"Uh...sure, I guess," Snow replied. He gave her a nod and a smile. They wanted to be alone, but they also didn't have many friends right now, so turning away two people that were actually willing to talk to them wasn't a good idea.

"So...how are things?" Ruby asked. They smiled.

"We're great...how about you?" Mary Margaret asked, as she and David held hands.

"Oh you know me. Granny is pissed that I bailed on the Valentine's crowd, but I had to get Ashley out here a bit," Ruby replied.

"That's right...how is the baby?" Mary Margaret asked, as she felt a pang of envy. There hadn't been a lot of time to think about much else other than their current situation when they had awakened from the haze of the curse. But as this new reality was setting in, she realized how much she was still the mindset of an expectant mother. An expectant mother without a baby, because hers grew up without them, alone and unhappy.

"She's good, very healthy and I didn't think I could do this. But I am. Some days are harder than others...but I wouldn't change anything. I owe Emma everything for helping me get Mr. Gold to tear up our contract," Ashley said.

"That's wonderful...I'm very happy for you," Mary Margaret said, as she took a big drink from her glass and David squeezed her hand.

"Hey...if this is too much and you want to go, we can," he whispered to her, but she shook her head.

"I'm fine…" she assured him, as Sean came in and insisted on talking to Ashley. But their attention was taken away from that when Emma came in. Her eyes locked on them for a moment and then she breezed by them toward the bar.

"Okay…I think I'm ready to go now," Mary Margaret said, as she was on the verge of tears now. She didn't want to hear about Ashley's happiness with her baby, because she wanted a baby. She wanted it so badly, but her baby was grown, which would have been okay if her baby didn't hate her guts right now. He stood up with her and was about to get her coat when they heard a ruckus.

"I think that guy has a knife," Ruby mentioned and that led to David dropping his wife's coat and running toward their daughter.

~*~

Emma walked in and spotted David and Mary Margaret at a table, apparently celebrating Valentine's Day together. Her eyes locked with Mary Margaret's for a moment, before she pushed her emotions away and headed to the bar to do what she came here for.

"Where is he?" she asked the bartender. He proceeded to point to a man named Keith, whom she had discovered was a frequent troublemaker and often belligerent drunk.

"Okay Keith...let's go," she said.

"You called the Sheriff on me?" he asked the bartender.

"Yep, and it's time for you to detox in the tank. Let's go," Emma repeated, as she took out her cuffs.

"I'm not going anywhere with you, bitch," he barked at her, as he took a sloppy swing and missed. He hit the bar and Emma sighed, as she took one of his wrists, preparing to cuff him. That's when he brandished a knife and she saw it a moment too late. She gasped, but no stabbing came, as suddenly someone was in front of her, holding his arm at bay with his own.

David stepped in, trying to fend off the drunk, who was insanely strong at the moment, due to an alcohol filled rage.

"Back off…" David growled.

"Make me, pretty boy," he slurred, as David punched him in the face.

"Drop the knife, asshole!" Emma demanded, as she drew her gun. But he was feeling no pain, thanks to his drunken state, and rushed at her with the knife. Her eyes widened and she hesitated to shoot for a split second, which she thought might cost her her life. But to her surprise again, David jumped in front of her and took the knife wound to his gut. Screams erupted from several people in the room, but none more bloodcurdling than Mary Margaret's.

"DAVID!" she cried, as she was by his side in an instant, holding him.

"I'm okay…" he promised, but there was a knife stuck in his side and he was bleeding.

"Oh God…" she cried, as she prepared to pull it out.

"Wait...don't pull it out," Emma warned, as she turned to the bar.

"I need towels and someone to call an ambulance!" she ordered, as the bartender tossed her some towels, while Ruby called 911.

"If we pull it out, he could bleed out before we get him to the hospital," she said, as she packed the wound around the protruding knife.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" Emma growled at him.

"I'm a cop...you had no business jumping in on this," she hissed. He could hear anger in her voice, but more than that, he could hear fear.

"Wouldn't be the first time I took a blade for you if Henry's right," he mentioned, as he hissed in pain a bit.

"I didn't ask for your help," she spat.

"Emma…" Mary Margaret scolded, but he managed to squeeze her hand.

"It's okay…" he whispered to her. Snow didn't like her reaction at all, but David understood it perfectly. When it came to dealing with emotions, he was starting to see how alike he and his daughter really were.

"Baby...hang on, the ambulance is on the way," Snow whispered, as she held his head in her lap.

"I'll be fine, I promise...you know I've taken worse than this," he whispered back to her, though Emma heard and decided to attempt to calm her as she was nearly in hysterics.

"I can't lose you again…" she sniffed.

"He's lucid and still conscious. That's a good sign," she offered, as Mary Margaret looked up at her. The ambulance arrived and Mary Margaret got into the back of it, as David was loaded into it.

"I'll meet you at the hospital," Emma said.

"You will?" Mary Margaret asked, with hope in her voice.

"Uh...yeah, I need to take his statement once he's patched up," she deflected and watched the dark haired woman's face fall. Mary Margaret gave her a slight nod, as the ambulance doors were closed and it took off for the hospital.

"That was cold," Ruby mentioned.

"What?" Emma asked.

"Uh...she's your best friend and her boyfriend just took a knife for you and you're acting like you barely know her," Ruby replied.

"I know you had some kind of falling out since you moved out...but this seems bigger than whatever you're mad at her about," she added.

"I'm not mad at Mary Margaret…" Emma said.

"Then why did you move out?" Ruby asked.

"It's complicated and I have a lot of work to do," Emma replied.

"Fine…I guess I'll go to the hospital instead. Maybe if you're feeling human later...you can join me," Ruby said, as she walked off. Emma sighed and continued filling out her report.

~*~

The shop bell rang and Gold was shocked to see his son come in with his own son. His grandson...that wasn't something he saw coming at all and he wasn't surprised very often. He shared a grandson with Snow White and Prince Charming. Fate certainly did have a sense of humor.

"Bae…" he said.

"Can you be my dad's lawyer?" Henry asked bluntly.

"Lawyer?" Gold asked.

"Uh...I think we're getting ahead of ourselves, kid. I mean, I'd love to have custody, even if it was joint custody, but my dad isn't a real lawyer," Neal replied.

"I do have a license to practice," Gold corrected.

"You never actually went to law school," Neal said skeptically.

"The curse may have given me the license, but I know everything needed to argue any case," Gold assured him. Neal sighed.

"See...you have to get custody! My Mom is trying to make it so I can't ever see you or Emma or my grandparents again," Henry said gravely.

"Well...we can't have that. Fortunately, I've already drawn up the filing," Gold replied, as he produced a document. Neal looked at him skeptically.

"You've already drawn up a custody petition?" he asked.

"Yes...and we can file first thing in the morning. It will be a battle, because the district attorney is corrupt in this land and was in our land as well. But I will win this," Gold replied.

"See…I told you he could do it," Henry said.

"Yeah...you did," Neal replied, as he patted his son on the shoulder.

"Hey...we should go get food at the diner. Maybe you can call my grandparents to meet us!" Henry said.

"Okay kid...give me the number," Neal said, as his son rattled off Mary Margaret's number.

"Mary Margaret...it's Neal," he said, as he listened to her.

"You sound upset...is something wrong?" he asked, as he listened again and his eyes widened.

"Wow...okay, we're on our way," Neal said, as he hung up.

"Uh...looks like we need to go to the hospital instead, kid. David was stabbed. He's okay...but that's where they are," he said, as Henry gasped.

"Then we should go," Gold agreed, as he started toward his car. Neal was reluctant, but knew that his son needed to go see his grandparents at this time, so they followed.


	11. Pressing On

Chapter 11: Pressing On

Mary Margaret watched the paramedic check his vitals, as the ambulance sped toward the hospital. She recognized him as one of their Knights and recalled that his name was

Gareth, but she didn't know who he was here. He gave her a reassuring nod though.

"His vitals are strong and though he's lost a bit of blood, he'll be fine. I'm sure Dr. Whale will have no problem stitching him up," Gareth offered.

"Great...Whale," David muttered and she squeezed his hand.

"You know there is no competition there," she whispered to him.

"I know…" he said, as they shared a long gaze. They arrived at the hospital and wheeled David in, with Mary Margaret running beside his gurney.

"What do we have?" Whale asked and then saw that it was David and Mary Margaret.

"Stab wound…" the paramedic said.

"Okay...let's get him to a room. You'll need to wait out here," Whale told her.

"I am going in with him...I don't care what you say!" Mary Margaret protested.

"It's usually family only," he replied.

"She is my family," David said, as he saw their fingers entwined.

"And he's mine," she added, though she really wanted to scream at the man she had made a mistake with that David was really her husband. She wanted to scream that to the whole town, but knew now was not the time for that.

"Fine...whatever," Whale said irritably, as David was wheeled into one of the emergency rooms.

"You do know that the Mayor is still your emergency contact in your file, right?" Whale asked.

"That needs to change. I don't want Regina anywhere near him," Mary Margaret snapped and then stopped to try to quell the swirling emotions inside her.

"Oh...okay, we can change that. I'll have the nurse update it to you," Whale said, taken aback by her fierceness and she supposed that made sense. The Mary Margaret under the curse was so soft spoken and a proverbial doormat to everyone. She was still angry with herself that she had ever let Whale near her when she was vulnerable, let alone touch her. David must have sensed that and squeezed her hand.

"It's okay...I'm okay," he promised, as he kissed her cheek. Whale looked away and put David's chart down.

"Well, I'm the doctor and it's up to me to determine how okay you are or not," he said, as he began examining the wound.

~*~

After Emma finished the preliminary report and locked Keith up, Ruby's words proved effective, as she found herself at the hospital.

"Hey...you came," Ruby said.

"Uh yeah...like I said, I need his statement," Emma deflected.

"He saved your life," Ruby reminded again.

"Really?" Henry asked, as he arrived with Neal and Gold. Emma sighed in irritation.

"What is he doing here?" she asked him.

"He wanted to go to the diner with his...with David and Mary Margaret. He wanted to see Mary Margaret specifically since the school fired her today," Neal started to explain.

"Yeah...I heard," Emma replied.

"My Mom is behind it...I know she is," Henry replied, causing Emma to sigh deeply again.

"Anyway, I called Mary Margaret to see if they could meet us and that's when we found out David had been stabbed," Neal replied.

"Is he okay?" Henry asked.

"I think he's going to be fine, sweetie. He saved Emma from getting stabbed," Ruby replied.

"I had it under control...he didn't save me. If anything, he got in the way," Emma argued. Neal smirked.

"I'm sure," he said, as they continued to wait to hear about David's condition.

~*~

Sidney typed away on the old computer in the newsroom when his phone rang.

"Hello?" he asked.

"What the hell went on at the Rabbit Hole tonight?" Regina demanded to know.

"Uh...well, it appears that the Sheriff arrived to deal with a drunken disorderly that went bad. Except instead of taking the knife wound herself, I interviewed an eyewitness that said Mr. Nolan took the knife for her," Sidney reported.

"You better spin that story in a negative light. The last thing I need is David Nolan being hailed for some heroics!" Regina said irritably.

"Well...people are already saying that's exactly what he is. I was able to cover up that he was homeless for a while, but I'm not sure how we bury this," Sidney replied.

"Then you need to figure it out!" Regina snapped.

"He was there with Miss Blanchard. I can remind everyone of their scandalous affair and their amorous antics in the park earlier today," he said.

"Whatever...just spin it to make them look bad," Regina said, as she hung up. Sidney sighed and decided to run to the diner for more coffee, before he finished and put the paper to bed. He walked out and didn't see August waiting outside. He slipped in and sat down at the computer. He slipped a flash drive into the external USB. The computer was so old that it didn't even have an USB slot, but fortunately Sidney happened to have a solution to that when needed.

August slipped his story into the pages of tomorrow's paper layout, deleting some column about the mine collapse, which was just a story that was in the paper weekly lately. No one seemed to notice that Sidney cycled the same stories over and over again. But August did notice and he had also noticed the changes lately. He now knew that Snow White and the Prince were awake and that meant that Emma just needed a little more pushing toward the truth. He was also shocked to find out that Neal was in town as well and he was hoping to keep a low profile and avoid him. It was good though. It meant that things had accelerated and he was hoping his article would accelerate them even more.

He felt slightly bad about running the story in respect to Kathryn, but taking away Regina's narrative that David and Mary Margaret were somehow a pair of adulterous, terrible people might go a long way to waking people up. He was exposing in the article that David's marriage license to Kathryn was phony and Regina drew it up when he woke up in an attempt to keep him and Mary Margaret apart. Essentially, his article was one hundred percent true, except the part where Kathryn was in on it and went along with it. But once the curse broke, any ill feelings anyone had toward the blonde would disappear. Truth was what they needed now. It was what he needed. Truthfully, he wasn't doing this to help David and Mary Margaret. He was selfishly doing this to save himself. The curse breaking was his only chance or he would soon have more than just a wooden leg.

~*~

Mary Margaret waited impatiently, as Whale stitched up David's wound.

"You're lucky...the knife missed all your organs and any deeper, you probably would have needed surgery. But it appears there is no internal bleeding," Whale replied.

"You're sure?" she asked and he looked at her.

"I'm sure...but just the same, he needs to rest once he's home for a few days. For now, I'd like to keep him overnight," Whale replied.

"I'm staying with him," she insisted. He nodded, as he did another test.

"What is that?" she asked.

"It checks his hemoglobin or blood level, which is slightly low. Since we're keeping him overnight, I'd like to give him a pint of blood," Whale replied, as he wrote something on his chart.

"I'll be back soon and we'll assign him a room," he said, as he exited. David smiled up at her once the doctor left and she leaned down to kiss him on the lips.

"I'm fine…" he assured once their lips parted.

"I know…" she said.

"I'm just sorry," he replied.

"For what?" she asked.

"Well...this isn't exactly how our Valentine's Day was supposed to end," he replied. But she only smiled.

"Well...for us, I'd say this is pretty normal and you saved our baby's life. Again," she said. He chuckled.

"We always did manage to find our fair share of trouble," he agreed and she sat down beside his bed and rested her head against his shoulder.

~*~

Whale stepped out of the room and found people waiting in the lobby area.

"Is my...Mr. Nolan okay?" Henry asked the doctor, who managed a smile for him.

"David is going to be fine. I stitched him up and I'm going to keep him overnight, just to be safe," Whale replied.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get a transfusion going for David. He's a little low from the blood loss he suffered," the doctor added.

"Maybe I can give him blood!" Henry chimed in. Whale chuckled.

"That's very generous of you, Henry, but I have to give David his type of blood and it's highly unlikely that you have the same type," Whale replied.

"I'm B negative. What type is David?" Henry asked curiously.

"How do you know what blood type you are?" Neal asked.

"Tonsils...two years ago. I didn't have to get blood, but I got a lot of ice cream and the nurses told me what type I am," he replied.

"Well...that's a coincidence. David is also B negative, but I'm afraid we can't take a pint from you, Henry," Whale said, as he started to walk away.

"Wait…" Emma called, as he turned.

"I'm also B negative...if you're short," she said. He looked at her and then nodded.

"Wait at the desk and I'll send a nurse for you," he said, as he walked away.

"Wow...same blood type," Neal mentioned.

"It doesn't mean anything," Emma protested.

"Of course not. I mean, you, the kid, and David all being the same blood type couldn't be anything except a coincidence," Neal mused.

"In my experience...there are no coincidences," Gold said.

"Whatever...you better get him home, before Regina has an aneurysm," Emma mentioned.

"Dad is filing for custody," Henry chimed in, causing her eyes to widen.

"What?" Emma asked.

"Uh...it wasn't my idea, but it's what he wants and I guess I have a lawyer already," Neal replied.

"Are you insane? Regina is going to go nuclear!" Emma hissed to him, as she pulled him aside.

"I know...but if I'm being honest, I want this too. I would have never given him up in the first place if I'd known about him!" Neal hissed back.

"I was in jail! What was I supposed to do!? I couldn't raise him!" she said.

"I know and I'm not blaming you. I got scared and should have never listened to August," he replied.

"I made a lot of mistakes, but now I'm going to make up for them as best I can and clearly our son is not happy with his adopted mother, who happens to be the freaking Evil Queen," he said. She scoffed.

"Not this again…" Emma complained.

"Like it or not, Em...it's all true and my Dad mentioned earlier that our chances in court would be better if we were on a united front," he mentioned.

"Wait...you mean your father wants me in on this too?" she asked. He nodded.

"Even if we're not together...we are his biological parents and you may have given him up, but I didn't. You were under duress and I didn't know he existed. Biological parents have won cases with less," he replied.

"Not against people like Regina. She controls this town. The district attorney is in her pocket, so there's no reason to believe the judge won't be either," she reasoned. He shrugged.

"Maybe not...but people are more afraid of my father than they are of her, trust me…" he countered and she found that she couldn't argue with that.

"Fine...I'm in," she agreed.

"Really?" he asked. She nodded, with a shrug.

"Getting him away from Regina is the only reason I stayed in this crazy town. I just didn't think I had a ghost of a chance," she replied. He smiled.

"Well...we do. A really good chance," he said.

"She will wage all out war on us...all of us," Emma warned.

"Guess we'll have to bring it then," Neal said, as Whale motioned to her.

"Go...go give your father some blood," Neal said.

"Don't call him that...he's not my father," Emma replied.

"Yeah...and denial is a river in Egypt," Neal said.

"Shut up," Emma replied, as she walked away. Neal smirked. She was going to deny the reality until she was blue in the face, but he knew her better than anyone. The walls around her were slowly beginning to crack.


	12. Blood Ties

Chapter 12: Blood Ties

Snow cuddled against him in the hospital bed, resting her head in the nape of his neck and he gently rested his free hand on the small of her back, while the other arm was hooked up to the IV drip.

"Do you think they'll yell at me for being in bed with you?" she asked softly.

"If they do...I'll yell back, because you're exactly where I want you," he replied, as he pressed a tender kiss to her forehead.

"I can't lose you again…" she said, choking back a sob.

"You won't," he assured.

"But I did...I lost you and our daughter for twenty-eight years. The only reason I survived that was that I didn't have my memories," she sniffed.

"I know...but if you think about it, there's no magic here. We defeated her when she did have magic at first and I think we can do it again without magic," David replied.

"She runs this whole town...she got me fired with one phone call," she reminded him.

"True...but she's not the only with power," he said. She cocked her head to the side.

"You really think Rumpelstiltskin will help us? You were the one that got upset with me when I went to him when you were living down by the Toll bridge," she countered.

"I was...but things are a bit different now. We share a grandson and he's trying to be on his best behavior since Neal doesn't approve of any of his usual antics. That makes Regina his enemy as much as ours and I kind of understand him now," David admitted.

"You?" she asked skeptically.

"I scanned the book a while back and he was a poor farmer before he was the Dark One. I realized that we're not as different as I thought," he replied.

"I don't approve of all his methods or any of the ruthless things he's done...but I get why he did them now. He did them to find his son. And I think that you and I both know that I would do anything and go through anyone, for that matter, to find you and Emma," he whispered. She sniffed and kissed him passionately. Both were unaware of the eyes on them.

~*~

Emma watched them curiously from the doorway, near the nurses desk, while she waited. Her gaze was full of scrutiny and skepticism and maybe a tiny glimmer of hope that she would deny vehemently if it were to be pointed out. She almost rolled her eyes when Mary Margaret climbed into the bed with him, but then watching them together became fascinating. It was impossible...and pure insanity to think that they could be her parents. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, the nurse arrived and attention was drawn to her.

"Emma…" Mary Margaret said, as she sat up.

"Uh...yeah, I'm here to donate blood. Turns out that I'm the same type as David," Emma replied and she did not miss the smile that brought to the pixie haired woman's face.

"Oh," she said simply.

"Emma...that's very generous of you. Thank you," David said.

"Yes...thank you," Mary Margaret agreed.

"Don't read into it. Having the same blood type doesn't mean what you think it means," Emma said flatly.

"Understood," David said, as Mary Margaret reluctantly got out of the bed and watched the nurse hook up an IV between Emma and David. The blonde had pulled up the recliner in the room and was now seated in it. Once they were hooked up, the nurse left and there was silence between them. Fortunately, that silence was broken by the one person that had brought them all together.

"Gramps!" Henry called, as he ran into the room and Neal could instantly tell that Emma wanted to correct their son, but didn't.

"Hey kid," David said, as he ruffled the boy's hair.

"Are you okay?" Henry asked in concern.

"Yeah...I'm fine," he promised.

"You had a hole in your side and now stitches," Mary Margaret reminded him.

"And it's just another scar to go with my collection," he said. She was about to fuss over him more, but Henry looked up at her and she hugged him.

"I miss you at school...my mom shouldn't have done that," he said.

"I miss you too, sweetie," Mary Margaret replied.

"But Grandpa Gold is going to help my dad get custody of me!" he announced. That surprised David and Mary Margaret.

"You're suing Regina for custody?" Mary Margaret asked. He nodded.

"It's what he wants...and apparently, my father is a lawyer," Neal replied.

"And…Emma is filing with us," he added.

"Yes, it looks better to the courts when the birth parents file together, even if they are not together," Gold confirmed.

"You think you have a chance in our courts?" David asked.

"Your skepticism for our corrupt district attorney is warranted. But I doubt Regina will like it if I appeal to an outside court and shine the light on her and this town," Gold replied.

"Then you think you have a good chance?" Mary Margaret asked.

"Very much so…" he confirmed.

"Then Dad says I can see you both whenever I want," Henry said. They smiled.

"We'd like that, Henry," she confirmed.

"I still think we're getting ahead of ourselves. Regina is going to lose her shit when she gets those papers," Emma said.

"Which should be about now," Gold replied.

~*~

Sidney winced, as his office door flew open and crashed against the wall.

"What the hell is this!?" Regina questioned, as she stormed into his office.

"Madam Mayor…" he started to say.

"I told you to spin the bar story in a negative light...not write a fluff piece on the heroics of David Nolan!" Regina cried.

"I don't know how that article ended up in my paper!" he insisted.

"Well, apparently August W. Booth found a way into your office and tampered with your paper! How could you be so careless? How could you not notice!?" she demanded to know.

"He must have come in when I went to get coffee last night. I had the paper done then and when I got back, I published it. I had already checked everything before then and nothing was amiss," Sidney explained. Regina scoffed.

"Did you read his story?" she asked.

"Um...no, I haven't had the chance," Sidney replied, as he skimmed the article.

"Oh my...he's claiming the marriage certificate between Kathryn and David is a forgery, designed by you to keep him away from Mary Margaret. Those are some scandalous accusations," Sidney said.

"You think!?" she screeched.

"Now some of the town's opinion against them is shifting! He's a hero and she's his darling girlfriend now that is no longer a home-wrecking tramp!" Regina hollered.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked.

"Write a retraction to the story! Insist that the marriage between David and Kathryn was real!" she yelled.

"I could suggest that it's even a conspiracy to clear their names. That Mary Margaret put August up to writing the article in her favor!" Sidney suggested. Regina smirked.

"Excellent...make sure you really drive home what a lying little tramp she is," she said deviously, as a young man appeared in the doorway.

"Madam Mayor?" he asked nervously.

"What is it?" she snapped.

"Um...you've been served," he replied, as he scurried off. Her brow furrowed, as she tore open the envelope and extracted the papers. Her nostrils flared and she clutched the papers tightly.

"What is it?" Sidney asked.

"Custody of my son is being challenged by his biological parents…" she growled, as she stormed out.

"I'm going to kill them all…" she hissed, as she got into her car and the tires squealed, before she headed for the hospital.

~*~

Tamara parked her car on Main Street near the Inn and got out, as she looked around.

"This is it?" she muttered, feeling underwhelmed at what looked like a small town that had gotten left behind in time. She took out her phone and dialed a number.

"I'm here...it's all here, just like they said," she said.

"Good...find your boyfriend and make good with him and his family. Wait for further instructions," the voice on the other end of the phone said.

"Will do," Tamara said, as she dialed another number.

"Hey…" Neal answered.

"Hi sweetie...you'll never guess where I am," she said.

"Our favorite bar, having a drink without me?" he guessed.

"No…I'm here. In Storybrooke," Tamara said. There was silence on the other end.

"Neal?" she asked.

"Uh...how did you find it?" he questioned.

"Well, it wasn't easy. Do you know this place isn't even on a map?" she asked.

"Yeah…" he answered, sounding a bit nervous.

"Anyway...you weren't kidding when you said it was in the middle of nowhere. I just kept driving for a while through the woods and there it was all the sudden," she lied.

"Uh...that's great," Neal said.

"So where are you?" she asked.

"I'm at the hospital," he replied.

"Are you okay?" she asked in concern.

"Yeah...I'm fine, just visiting a friend. I have a room at the Inn. Maybe wait at the diner for me and I'll be there soon," Neal replied. She smirked and hung up the phone, before casually walking toward the diner.

~*~

Neal hung up the phone and stared at it for a few moments, wondering what he was going to do. He had told Tamara that he was going to a place called Storybrooke, Maine and that it was where his son, the one he had only just discovered lived. He didn't give her any directions or vicinity at all and somehow, she had found it when no one else, save for Emma, seemed to be able to do so. His fiance was resourceful for sure, but he was racking his brain as to how this was possible.

He hadn't told anyway, especially Henry, that he was engaged and he wasn't sure how his son was going to take it. Add to that, he wasn't sure how he was going to explain all this to Tamara. There was no way she was going to believe that this town was full of people from fairy tales. He sighed and stepped back into the room.

"Everything okay?" Emma asked.

"Uh yeah...just checking on a few things in New York," he fibbed.

"A job? You never did tell us much about your life in New York," she mentioned. He sighed and knew he had to come clean with her...with them all and tell them about Tamara. An outsider in Storybrooke was bound to increase the already palpable tension between them.

"Listen...there is something I need to tell you," he said, as they heard the hospital door open with a swing.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Regina cried, as she stormed in, clutching the papers she had been served with.

"Oh good...I see that you have been served," Gold said nonchalantly.

"If you think that you're going to get away with this...you have another thing coming," Regina replied.

"I believe that is for the court to decide," Gold stated calmly.

"I warn you, Mr. Cassidy...I'm not someone that you want to cross," she threatened.

"Yeah…I've seen your handiwork, but you wouldn't be anywhere without my father's manipulation. I'll take my chances and I wouldn't do something like this unless it was something my son wanted," Neal replied.

"Henry…" she feigned a wounded expression.

"You said that I couldn't see my dad or my real mom! Or David and Mary Margaret and you got Mary Margaret fired!" Henry accused.

"No Henry...Mary Margaret got fired, because she's a terrible person and unfit to be around children," Regina said snidely.

"Get the hell out," David growled.

"I would be careful with the heroics, Mr. Nolan...one of these days, you might not recover from them," she said.

"Don't you dare threaten him!" Mary Margaret exclaimed.

"I've destroyed your reputation, Miss Blanchard and I'm just getting started, believe me," Regina promised.

"Let's go Henry...you're grounded for sneaking out," she said.

"But I don't want to go with you!" Henry cried.

"That's not your choice. I am your mother and your legal guardian," she reminded them.

"She's right, kid...go on and I'll see you later," Neal said, as he knelt in front of him.

"But I want to stay with you," he said sadly.

"I know...I want that too and we'll make it happen. Unfortunately, it's going to take time," he replied, as he hugged him. Henry sadly hugged him and the others in the room, before reluctantly leaving with Regina.

"Well...that was about as bad as I thought it might be," Emma commented.

"Yeah...there's something else that you need to know," Neal said, as he prepared to tell them about Tamara, but he wouldn't have to.

"There you are…" she said from the doorway, catching him off guard again. His mouth hung open and he cursed inwardly. He had a feeling this wasn't going to go well either...


	13. Awkward Situation

Chapter 13: Awkward Situation

"T...Tamara…" he uttered nervously and she made a display by siding up to him and pecking him on the lips.

"You left town so abruptly that I was worried. When you told me where you were...I decided to come find you," she said, as she looked around at the other people in the room.

"This is such a small town though...it wasn't even on the map. I think I just got lucky when I stumbled upon it," she added. Emma narrowed her gaze at that. She could sense a liar a mile away.

"Uh yeah...I was going to call you," he stammered.

"Well, I'm here now, so what's going on?" she asked.

"Well…I have a son. One that I didn't know about," Neal replied. Her eyes widened.

"A son?" she asked. He nodded.

"With who?" she asked.

"With me," Emma said, as she stepped forward.

"You?" Tamara asked, as her hackles seemed to go up.

"And you never told him?" she asked in an accusing tone. Emma opened her mouth to defend herself, but Neal beat her to it.

"Emma is my ex and about eleven years ago, she went to prison for something I did," he admitted.

"She went to prison, I took off, and she had a baby in prison. She couldn't keep him and gave him up for adoption. The Mayor of this town is actually our adopted son's mother," Neal explained. Tamara looked a bit shell-shocked by that.

"So...how did he find you?" she asked.

"He didn't...he found Emma first and then they happened to run into me in New York," Neal replied.

"That's a hell of a coincidence," she commented.

"Uh yeah…" he admitted.

"Okay...so how long are you going to be staying? We have a life in New York and we'll be getting married soon," she reminded him.

"Married?" Emma asked, as her eyebrows were in her hair and that admission made David and Mary Margaret exchange a worried glance.

"Yeah...Tamara is my fiancé," Neal said, in an uncomfortable tone. Emma was silent for a beat.

"I see," she replied.

"But I can't go back to New York right now," he said.

"Honey, I get that you have a son now, but what about our life there?" she asked.

"I have to stay. My son isn't happy with his adopted mother and my father thinks that if Emma and I file for custody against her...we can win," he replied.

"You're filing for custody together?" she asked in a sharp tone. He winced.

"We stand a better chance, even though we're not together. Emma was under duress when she gave him up and I didn't even know about him. A joint filing makes sense," Neal explained.

"I see...well, I support you and I guess I wouldn't mind taking some time off," she said.

"You don't have to do that. Honestly, we don't even have our first court date yet. This could take weeks...or longer," he replied.

"Well, I can at least stay a few days and then we can play it by ear," she said, as she kissed him and Emma looked away.

"So...when do I get to meet your son?" she asked and Emma wanted to claw her eyes out at that. Something inside her told her to keep this woman away from Henry. There was no way she believed that she just got lucky and found Storybrooke. Something was seriously off with her.

"Uh...well, his adopted mother is pretty pissed, but hopefully soon," Neal replied.

"Okay...well, should we go back to the Inn?" she asked.

"Actually...I need to talk to my father about some things. Can you go back and I'll meet you there soon?" he asked. She nodded.

"Your father? The one that abandoned you?" she asked.

"Yeah...it's complicated," he replied.

"Your father lives in the same town as your son's adoptive mother?" she asked skeptically.

"Like I said...this thing has a lot of moving parts," he replied.

"Okay…I'll see you later," she said, as she left the room.

"We need to talk," Emma snapped when she was gone and then stormed out of the room.

"Oh hell…" he complained, as he followed her, leaving Gold in the room with David and Mary Margaret.

"Well...that wasn't awkward or anything," David muttered.

"I miss being able to comfort Emma," Mary Margaret said and he squeezed her hand.

"I know...but I know she's going to let you in again, eventually," he promised.

"Meanwhile...we have a huge problem with an outsider in Storybrooke," Gold said.

"Yeah…I didn't think it was possible for people to come here from outside, except Emma," David recalled.

"It's not...unless you know what you're looking for," Gold said, as he looked at them. David and Mary Margaret exchanged a worried glance.

~*~

"Emma…" Neal started to say.

"You're engaged!?" she demanded to know.

"Yes...why does it matter?" he asked.

"We have a son! If you're going to be in Henry's life...that means she is too! I had a right to know!" Emma replied.

"You're right...and I wasn't hiding it. Things have just been nuts from the moment we met again in New York to now," he said and she couldn't really argue with that.

"Fine...but it doesn't make any sense how she found this place. I found it only because Henry guided me. Storybrooke isn't even on any of the road signs," Emma said.

"Yet you deny the book," Neal countered and she sighed, wanting to scream at him now.

"Don't change the subject. How did she even find this place?" she asked.

"I don't know! Tamara is resourceful," he replied and she rolled her eyes at that.

"Besides, if the book is bullshit, then why does it matter? It's not like this isn't just a normal town and it's not like my fiancé is dangerous or something," he added.

"Look...I know when someone is lying and she is," Emma accused.

"She's not lying...and I never bought that whole thing with your superpower," Neal replied.

"Since when?" she asked.

"Well, if you really can tell when people are lying...then are they lying?" Neal asked, as he gestured toward the room.

"That's not the same," she replied, with a sigh.

"Why? Are they lying?" he asked. She pursed her lips.

"Just because they believe what they are saying doesn't mean it's true," she replied. He snickered at that and shook his head.

"Right," he deadpanned.

"Okay...fine, I'll play your game. If the book is true...then ask yourself how bad it would be if people from outside did just start to roll into town. Even if she isn't lying or isn't a threat, she might tell others in passing about this quaint little town, hidden in the woods of Maine. So then this town becomes a tourist attraction and if this book is true and is somehow exposed...then it puts Henry in danger," she reasoned. He couldn't refute that, because he knew it was true. This town had secrets and though there was no magic to expose them, he never liked to take chances with people he cared about.

"I'll urge her to go back to New York, but she's going to get suspicious if I press her too hard," he said.

"Whatever...but that's not all we need to talk about," she replied.

"What else is there?" he asked.

"If we win against Regina...are you going back to New York? Are we really going to shuffle Henry back and forth?" she questioned.

"Why don't you just move back to New York with us?" he asked and she blanched.

"Because I have a life here...Henry has a life here," she replied.

"According to you...not really. I mean, what do you have here? If David and Mary Margaret aren't your parents and our son's grandparents...then you don't really have any ties here," he pointed out.

"But you do...your father," she countered. He snorted.

"Yeah...he'll be lucky if I visit him on holidays at this point. You may not believe anything in the book actually happened, but I lived it. He abandoned me in the worst way...and no, I'm not over it," he replied, as he walked away at that point to return to the Inn, leaving Emma alone in the hallway to ponder all the thoughts and emotions that had been stirred up that evening.

~*~

"You're quiet…" David mentioned, as he pressed a kiss to her hair. Gold had left and the nurse had lowered the lights in his room. The nurse had tersely offered a cot for her, but she refused and still remained cuddled against him in his hospital bed, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I was just thinking...I don't think Emma ever really got over Neal," she murmured.

"That makes sense...first love. I know I would never get over you. I just got lucky that I got to marry my first and only love," he whispered to her, which made her want to melt. He always knew exactly what to say to her.

"You're my first and only too," she replied, as she kissed him again, before they settled down and fell asleep in each other's arms

~*~

Regina angrily poured herself a glass of apple flavored liquor and took a big sip, letting the stinging liquid slide down her throat. After making sure Henry's window was locked from the outside, she was confident he was finally in his room, sleeping, leaving her to her own devices.

Any plans that had been in the works were now completely blown to hell by all the recent developments. She had planted all the right seeds to frame Mary Margaret for a crime. A crime committed by a jealous mistress against the wife of the man she was sleeping with. Harming Kathryn in any way had given her a moment of pause and that's why she had planned to go to Gold for help. He would help her with her plan for the right promise. But that option was gone now. Everything had changed. He could no longer be counted on as a shaky ally, for his son was the biological father of her son and he was now coming after custody of Henry.

David had divorced Kathryn and was now firmly with Mary Margaret. The town had still hated them, but the conflict between Kathryn and Mary Margaret had faded quickly with the divorce, as David clearly made his choice. But what was even worse now was that August had a story floating out there that she had helped Kathryn forge a marriage license that trapped the amnesiac David in a false marriage to keep him away from his true love, Mary Margaret Blanchard. The article painted Kathryn as the Mayor's lonely, browbeaten friend that agreed to go along with Regina's plot to keep them apart out of her hatred of Mary Margaret. She didn't know who this August W. Booth was and how he knew so much about all of them, but she didn't like it at all. Everything was completely screwed up and now she didn't know how she was going to fix any of it.

That's when she heard a knock at her door. She put her glass down and answered, only to find Kathryn there, looking miserable.

"I see you've seen that article," Regina said, as she let the blonde in.

"Yes...why would he write such a thing?" Kathryn wondered and that's when a thought struck Regina and she smirked evilly, before closing the door and turning to the other woman.

"It's quite simple, actually. This is Mary Margaret. Somehow, she convinced this reporter to write this monstrous article against us out of her hatred of us and her desire to keep her hooks in David," Regina said. Kathryn's eyes widened.

"You think so?" Kathryn asked.

"Absolutely...this is the woman that destroyed your marriage! And now she's trying to get the town to stop hating her by facilitating some outlandish story that she's David's true love? She is a lying, homewrecking little tramp and this cannot stand," Regina replied.

"But...what can we do? David chose her...he left me and he's with her," Kathryn said. Regina smirked deviously and turned to her.

"I have a plan...do you trust me?" Regina asked.

"Of course," Kathryn replied.

"Then leave everything to me and we'll make that little tramp pay for what she's done," Regina said vaguely, as a new plan formed in her head.


	14. Sparks Fly, Pt 1

Chapter 14: Sparks Fly, Pt 1

David winced, as Snow helped him gently put his shirt on and then began buttoning it. He smiled at her and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. She looked up at him and their lips met in a passionate kiss. Snow mewled into his kiss, as she slipped her arms around his neck. He cradled her head and moved his lips over hers, deepening their kiss and she felt her knees almost give out. He usually had that effect on her, but always held her up and kept her from falling. Their bliss was interrupted by someone clearing their throat and she was almost lightheaded, in a good way, as their lips parted.

"I have your discharge papers," Whale said sourly.

"Thanks," David said, not even hiding his smugness, as Snow cuddled against him.

"You'll want to keep the bandage on the wound for a few days. You can bathe, but be careful not to get it too wet for a while. The stitches are dissolvable, so you won't need to come back unless you notice any swelling or the pain doesn't subside within a week or so," he advised, as he scribbled on David's chart.

"Did you change his emergency contact information?" Snow asked, as he looked up.

"Yes...the nurse took care of that," he replied, as he watched him kiss her hair.

"Anything else?" David asked.

"No...you're free to go, but I hope you know that you need to refrain from any vigorous activity for a while until that wound heals a bit," Whale replied. David smirked.

"Yeah...you'd like that, wouldn't you?" he said, as they walked out of the room, arms around each other, and headed for the elevator.

"He doesn't look happy about you possibly disobeying his orders," she mentioned, as they got into the elevator.

"Yeah...that's not why he's pissed," David said.

"Why do you say that?" she asked, as the elevator door closed.

"He's pissed because you're with me and not him," he replied. But she shook her head, as she hooked her hand on his elbow.

"I doubt that...Whale has a reputation. I was just another notch on his bedpost," she said sourly.

"I'm sure that's what he tells people, which infuriates me, but I don't think so," he replied. She cocked her head to the side.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because I know what it's like to be with you. It's not something you forget and it's not something you want to lose...ever," he replied simply, which made her blush.

"Charming…" she murmured, as she leaned her head against his arm. He could still give her butterflies in her stomach. He smiled and kissed her tenderly, as the elevator door opened into the first floor lobby of the hospital. People gawked at them, as they walked toward the exit, arms around each other, but neither noticed.

"Let's go home…" he whispered to her. She smiled.

"Let's...but you know we really can't do anything yet," she whispered back. He smirked.

"I've had worse than this and we managed," he reminded her. She grinned.

"We did...didn't we?" she realized, as they hurried to her car.

~*~

Neal rolled over in bed and found Tamara's side empty. She wasn't far though, as she came back into the room with coffee and donuts.

"Morning…I went to that little bakery down the street. The bagels didn't look at all like New York bagels though, so I opted for the donuts," she replied. He smirked.

"Yeah...you're not going to find good bagels here," he said, as he took a sip of the coffee and checked his phone. He smiled, as he saw texts from Henry.

"So...when do I get to meet your son?" she asked.

"Uh...well, he's in school right now, but maybe we can meet him after. His adoptive mom is doing her best to keep him away from us, but Dad says he's going to file an emergency injunction this morning," Neal replied.

"For what exactly?" she asked.

"Well...the custody battle might take months and will get ugly. He thinks it's unfair that Emma and I don't even have visitation in the interim, so he's going to argue before the judge today," he replied.

"That's great...you better get cleaned up and I hope you'll let me go with you," she said.

"Sure…" he replied, as he saw her reading the paper.

"If you're looking for Pulitzer type journalism in that paper...you're going to be disappointed," he warned with a snort.

"Yeah, most of it is pretty bland, but there is one story here that is fascinating. By August W. Booth," she said. He paused on his way to the bathroom at that and took the paper from her.

"What? Do you know him?" she asked, as he skimmed the story.

"Uh no...just sounds like a new guy," he lied.

"Do you really think the Mayor and this other woman lied and forged a marriage certificate for a comatose patient to keep him away from this other woman...Mary Margaret? It sounds like daytime soap opera stuff," she scoffed.

"It does...but Mary Margaret was Henry's teacher, until Regina got her fired. Henry loves her and she and David are really good people. Regina on the other hand...the woman we're going to be fighting in court, is as vengeful as they come," Neal replied.

"I wonder what Mary Margaret did to piss Regina off so much," Tamara asked curiously.

"I don't know...but I guarantee it was nothing that warrants anything she's done," he said, as he went into the bathroom to clean up. Tamara smirked and kept reading. She dialed a number.

"There's an event coming up...it's called Miner's Day. It looks like a big deal and most of the town will be gathered in one place," she reported, before hanging up and she went back to waiting on Neal.

~*~

Regina stormed into the courthouse and into Albert Spencer's office. She slapped the court papers down on his desk and looked at him.

"Care to tell me how the hell you're allowing this to happen?" she hissed, as he looked at the order.

"Contrary to popular belief and much to my own dismay, I don't control everything that goes on in the judicial system in this town," he said.

"Mr. Gold filed the correct paperwork and now a Judge will hear the case," he added.

"Then you had better be good at what you do and convince the Judge to rule in my favor," she hissed.

"I will do my best, but that's only part of your problem," Spencer replied.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"I was about to send the courier over with the order, but since you're here, I'll serve you myself," he replied, as he handed another order to her.

"What is this?" she asked, as she looked through it.

"Mr. Gold has filed an emergency injunction on behalf of your son's biological parents," he explained. Her eyes widened.

"On custody?" she asked. He nodded.

"He's arguing that they should be granted some sort of visitation in the interim before the custody proceedings begin," he replied.

"This is unacceptable! He is my son!" she shouted.

"He is theirs too, unfortunately and the father didn't know about him. I don't think I have to tell you that biological parents carry a lot of weight in the courts," he said.

"Then you had better fix this! Talk to the Judge and make sure he knows what is in it for him if he does the right thing and rules in my favor," she replied.

"Don't you think I tried that already?" he asked irritably.

"What did he say?" she asked.

"He won't even take my call. His assistant said that he had taken Mr. Gold's suggestion and sequestered himself until the hearing this afternoon. Looks like he is more afraid of Gold than of us," he replied. She clenched her teeth.

"For now…" she fumed. If she ended up having to share custody of Henry with Emma and Neal...then she would have to take drastic measures.

~*~

The curtain was pulled around the bed and the blinds were closed to squelch the daylight, as they made good use of their alone time. Despite his tender wound, they had indeed managed to satisfy their need for intimacy. Clothes were scattered around the bedroom and they were bare, entwined together. She was straddled across him, as he was gently propped up on the pillows, joined as one, moving gently together. Lips met again and again, with moans and mewls escaping now and then, as a vocal declaration of their pleasure. She collapsed gently beside him and rested her head against his chest, as they came down and caught their breath.

"Told you we'd manage," he murmured to her, before pressing a kiss to her hair. She smiled up at him.

"You did...and I think that was a little more than managing," she said, in a dreamy tone, as they cuddled.

"Then I was on my game," he said, with a chuckle.

"You're never not on your game, my love...but now I'm starving," she replied.

"Me too...I'm on the pancakes," he said, as he got up and slipped into a pair of sleep pants.

"You're supposed to be resting," she said, as she sat up and pulled the sheet over her unclothed body.

"I can handle making us some pancakes," he said, as he pecked her on the lips. She smiled and watched him go into the kitchen, before she fished his shirt from the floor and her underwear. She went to the door and picked up the rolled newspaper that was there and brought it inside, before setting it on the table. She started some coffee and then sat down at the table, while he mixed the batter.

"Oh my God…" she said, as he looked up at her.

"What is it?" he asked.

"This story...someone wrote a story about us," she replied. He rolled his eyes.

"Great...more lies about our torrid "affair"," he complained.

"No, it's not that...someone wrote a story about how Regina and Kathryn came up with a phony marriage certificate to keep us apart, because of Regina's hatred of me," she replied.

"That sounds pretty close to the truth...so what's it doing in that newspaper?" he asked, as he read the byline.

"August W. Booth?" he asked. She shook her head.

"I have no idea who that is...or who he was back in our land. But I think we need to meet him," she replied. He nodded.

"Agreed. Just another adventure for us," he said, as he kissed her cheek. She smiled and went to pour the coffee, while he made the pancakes.

~*~

Kathryn didn't at all like the stares she was receiving that morning, as she walked into the diner. She tried to ignore the whispers and looks, as she approached the counter. Was Regina right? Had Mary Margaret helped facilitate this story to get the attention and hatred off her? It had certainly seemed to work by the cold look Granny was giving her.

"Can...can I get a cappuccino to go?" she asked.

"Coming right up," Granny replied. So she was still serving her, which hopefully meant she wasn't sure whether to believe the story or not.

"Thanks," Kathryn said, as she placed the cup in front of her.

"Don't thank me...I'm still serving you, because I know how intimidating the Mayor is, but you didn't have to go along with it," Granny replied.

"I...I didn't. That article is a lie. David was my husband," Kathryn argued.

"That reporter says the marriage license was forged. He says he had it authenticated and it came back as a forgery," Granny said, citing the article.

"Well...he's lying! Mary Margaret is a tramp and she stole my husband," Kathryn replied, as she grabbed her cup and stormed out of the diner. Regina was right...and she was going to confront the little homewrecker herself...


	15. Sparks Fly, Pt 2

Chapter 15: Sparks Fly, Pt 2

Snow cuddled against him, as they turned the corner and walked along Main street with his arm slung firmly around her.

"Cold?" he asked, with a chuckle.

"The winters here are just about as miserable as they were back home. But I guess cursing us to a place with sunny beaches would have been too pleasant," Snow mentioned. He chuckled and kissed her hair.

"I'll keep you warm," he promised. She smiled up at him.

"You always do," she said, as they were so absorbed by each other that they almost didn't see Kathryn barreling toward them.

"Oh…Kathryn," she said. The other woman glared at her.

"Well, I should congratulate you on the success of your article," the blonde said, as she held up a copy of the Storybrooke Mirror.

"My article? I didn't write that," Mary Margaret refuted.

"Oh no...but do you really expect me to believe that it wasn't you that fed these lies to this reporter!" Kathryn hissed.

"She didn't...we don't even know who this August person is," David insisted.

"Then why did he write these things!? You were my husband! I didn't make it up!" she shouted. He sighed.

"Maybe not, but for a really long time, I was gone and you didn't seem to give me a second thought. Did Regina tell you that she knew I was in the hospital the whole time?" David questioned. He knew that they couldn't really tell her that the marriage was exactly fake since that didn't mesh with her curse memories. But pointing out certain anomalies would bring other things into question.

"N...no, she didn't. She said she just found out you were there when you woke up," Kathryn said.

"But that can't be true. She was listed as my emergency contact and would have been notified the moment I was in whatever accident that I was in," David replied. Mary Margaret caught onto what he was trying to do.

"That's right...and the hospital had you listed as John Doe. That doesn't make any sense if you had an emergency contact. Regina would have been able to identify you," she recalled. This made Kathryn recoil in confusion. Everything they said made a lot of sense.

"But why would Regina hide you from everyone, especially me?" she asked.

"I don't know...but I don't think she's your friend like you think. Besides, do you really want to be with someone that can't love you the way you deserve?" he asked. Kathryn swallowed thickly and shook her head.

"Of course not...and I know we were just going through the motions," she admitted.

"You'll find someone," Mary Margaret assured her.

"That's easy for you to say," Kathryn grumbled.

"It is, but I happen to know someone at the school that's perfect for you. He's the gym class teacher," Mary Margaret said.

"I don't need dating advice from you!" Kathryn replied, as she stormed off.

"Well...that went well," he muttered, as they continued along the street.

"It was so nice of Regina to plant it into her head that I must have influenced the reporter to write that article," Mary Margaret said sarcastically. He scoffed.

"Yeah, we probably should have anticipated that, but why did you tell her that she should meet the gym teacher?" he asked curiously. She smiled coyly.

"Because Jim the gym teacher is really Frederick, her true husband," she replied and he smiled.

"Sneaky…I like it," he said, as they arrived at the Storybrooke Mirror's building. They knocked on the office door and unsurprisingly, Sidney Glass answered.

"Well...if it isn't Storybrooke's favorite adulterers," he said.

"Watch it or you'll find out how good my right cross is," David warned.

"What can I do for you and the fair Miss Blanchard?" Glass asked and David studied him with scrutiny. He seemed familiar, but he couldn't place who he might have been back in their land.

"We're looking for August W. Booth...he wrote an article in your newspaper," David said.

"We'd just like to talk to him," Mary Margaret added.

"Well...that makes three of us. You see, Mr. Booth neither works here nor had authorization to put that article in my paper," Sidney explained.

"Then why did you print it?" Mary Margaret asked.

"Isn't it obvious? This man broke into my office and placed his article in my paper without my knowledge or approval," Sidney replied.

"You must be in hot water with Mayorzilla then," David joked. He had heard Emma call her that in an offhand remark and decided that it was a fitting description if he had ever heard one.

"Laugh now, if you must, but I'll be printing a retraction to the article and then the town will go back to believing the truth about you both. You the cheater and her the tramp," Sidney said, which caused David to put his hand around the other man's neck and push him back against the door.

"If you hurt me...I'll make sure you're thrown in jail!" Sidney warned nervously.

"David...he's not worth it. He's a worm," Mary Margaret urged, as she touched his arm. David released him and backed away, as he attempted to collect himself.

"The waters have been muddied now and the truth always comes out, trust me. The town isn't so eager to believe anything reported by you anymore," David warned, as he took her hand and they continued on their way. As they walked by the alley, they didn't see the man standing there listening to the whole conversation.

Now that August knew they were looking for him, he would have to be careful to avoid them. They were clearly awake and he didn't want to be the one to tell them the truth about the wardrobe and who he really was.

"You two look cold...how about some cocoas?" Granny called, as she happened to be outside at the moment they walked by.

"Really?" Mary Margaret asked.

"I thought our kind wasn't welcome?" David asked and she nudged him.

"I see where Emma gets her lack of tact now," she murmured.

"Do you want the cocoa or not, chisel chin?" Granny asked shortly. Mary Margaret smiled.

"We'd love some," she said, as they followed Granny inside.

~*~

The gavel slammed down, as the Judge brought the hearing to order and they were seated. The Bayliff announced the docket number and the Judge looked over the documents in front of him.

"How do we know this guy isn't in Regina's pocket?" Emma whispered to Gold.

"That's actually a really good question," Neal agreed.

"I will be very convincing and he is more afraid of me than he is of her," Gold assured him.

"What did you do to him?" Neal questioned.

"Here...nothing yet. But I know things about him he'd rather not have made public," Gold replied vaguely.

"Wonderful…" Neal drawled.

"Who cares if it gets us visitation," Emma said and Neal conceded to that point with a nod.

"We're here today to discuss the visitation right of the biological parents of Henry Mills. I will hear opening arguments now," the Judge said, as Albert Spencer got to his feet and buttoned the front of his suit coat.

"Albert Spencer for the defendant, Mayor Regina Mills, Your Honor," he said, as he approached the bench.

"For the last ten years of Henry Mills' life, my client has raised her son and quite admirably so. She has been there for everything. The sleepless nights, the diapers, the nightmares, and all the ups and downs that come with often grueling duties of a parent. Now that the boy is older, the birth parents have come out of the woodwork to demand him back. To rip him from the woman that raised him would be a grave error in judgement, I believe. The birth parents are unstable and both have criminal backgrounds. It is my position that Regina Mills remain the sole custodian of Henry Mills," Spencer said, as he took his seat.

"Mr. Gold for the plaintiff, Your Honor," Gold said, as he rose from his seat.

"While we can agree that Regina Mills has raised young Henry from birth and provided him with all the material necessities he wants, she has not been exemplary when it comes to the boy's mental health," Gold said, which made Regina seethe.

"I have witnesses willing to submit testimony that they have heard the Mayor call her own son crazy for his very vivid imagination. The boy's own psychiatrist can testify that Mayor Mills' language alone could be very harmful to the boy. So much so that they boy sought out his own birth mother on his own," Gold continued.

"And while both Mr. Cassidy and Ms. Swan have made mistakes in their past, they were barely adults and have since turned their lives around. The boy wants them in his life and his opinion should be considered in this," Gold stated.

"Objection, Your Honor. That boy is a minor and it is not the practice of the courts to allow minors to make decisions concerning their well being themselves," Spencer objected.

"I believe I said that his feelings should be considered; not the sole basis of this case," Gold clarified, but the Judge put his hand up.

"As this is not the actual custody hearing, I believe this is a very simple decision," the Judge stated.

"I have reviewed the case, including comments from Dr. Hopper, who has stated that he has noticed a positive change in the minor in question since the resurfacing of his birth parents," he stated.

"Until we convene on the matter of custody, I am going to grant visitation rights to the birth parents. Every other weekend and two weeknights," he said.

"Your Honor...this is an outrage!" Spencer objected.

"Save it for the custody trial, Counselor. The visitation is only until trial and will be re-evaluated upon the outcome of the trial. But considering the birth father did not even know that he had a son, which could have changed whether or not his son was even adopted, I cannot in good conscience deny him the chance to know his son. The same goes for Ms. Swan, as she was clearly under duress at the time of his birth. Whether they are fit or not will or will not be proven in the custody hearing," the Judge ruled, as he slammed the gavel down. By now, Regina was fuming and if looks could kill, they would have surely all been dead.

"If you think this is going to go your way...then you're sadly mistaken," Regina growled, as she stormed out.

"Thanks...papa," Neal said, as he shocked Gold by giving him a gentle hug, which he reciprocated.

"You know that I would do anything for you...and Henry now," he replied. Neal nodded. He was still struggling with his feelings toward his father, but this had definitely made him reconsider his decision to keep him at arms length.

"Yeah...thanks. I owe you another one I guess," Emma said.

"This one is on the house, Ms. Swan," Gold replied.

"We should go see if we can get the kid and go to Granny's to celebrate. We can invite your parents too," Neal said, as they exited the courtroom.

"Will you stop calling them that?" Emma asked.

"How long are you going to keep denying what you know is true?" he replied.

"Neal…" she said.

"No…I'm serious. You have a gift for knowing when people are lying. I am from a place called the Enchanted Forest. My Dad is Rumpelstiltskin...also known as the Dark One. I escaped through a portal and landed in this world in the 1800's, London, to be specific. Then I got carried off to Neverland by Peter Pan's shadow…" he continued.

"Do you know how insane you sound?" she interjected.

"Yes...but am I lying?" he asked. She scoffed and walked off, but he persisted.

"I got rescued by none other than Captain Hook from the water, only for him to later sell me out to Peter Pan himself. Then I spent two hundred years in trying to escape that hell hole, only to finally succeed and find myself in the Land Without Magic again, America this time, in 1997. Then I met you just a few years later…" he continued, as Gold followed them, listening intently.

"Why does it matter to you so much if I believe or accept them as my parents, which they're not?" Emma asked, as they stopped on the street.

"Because I know how much you always wanted to find them and how much you wanted answers. Both are now staring you in the face and you're running away again," he accused.

"Screw you...Henry is the only thing keeping me here and you know it," Emma replied.

"Nope...now you're lying. You care about Mary Margaret and even David," he insisted.

"Enough! I don't give a damn about them and if it's all true, then why should I?" she shouted, as they were now just outside the diner.

"You've seen the book. You saw that nursery they made...for you. Parents that don't want their kid don't do that, Emma and you know it," Neal said, as neither of them noticed David and Mary Margaret coming out of the diner.

"Why do you care so much!?" Emma cried in exasperation.

"Because I know the truth! You were cheated out of having them and they were cheated out of having you! First, because of the curse...but ultimately, because of a lie told by people that were supposed to be their friends!" he said.

"What?" Mary Margaret asked and he suddenly realized they were there...


End file.
